


Those Burning Souls

by Rinichey



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Angst, Burning Rescue - Freeform, Dating, Drug comparisons to Promare, Existential Crisis, Fights, Finding Oneself, Foreshadows of the Past, Galo finding a new purpose, Hopefully some comedy, Lio figuring out what his purpose is, M/M, Mad Burnish (Promare), Post-Movie, Prejudice, Superiority Complexes, Those who let go and those who can't, vivid dreams
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:00:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 60,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21764152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinichey/pseuds/Rinichey
Summary: (Post Movie)The fires that once plagued the world have dissipated. The promare left, the burnish nonexistent. A new beginning for their city... This was both what Galo and Lio wanted, right? And why do things still feel unresolved?
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 54
Kudos: 187





	1. Earth's own light

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I honestly don't know how far I'll get into this story, but I wrote this up this morning and wanted to share it online! If you like the story and wish for me to continue it, please let me know with a comment and a Kudo! Enjoy!

The first rays of sunlight on the newly cleansed Promepolis were nearly breathtaking.

Here, amongst the destruction and ruin. Amongst the cracked streets, the broken fire hydrants with water spewing everywhere. Amongst the broken souls, finally able to push through the debris that once contained them. Amongst the tall, who crawled their way up to catch the first glimpses of this new world.

The sun did not discriminate as they had. Its rays enlightened everything its citizens had done to themselves and brought them forth into the light.

It felt warm. A different kind than he’d experienced his entire life. There was no underlying desire to feed the fuel and let the flames engulf and burn the inanimate. No itch to see it spread to the far corners of the earth. It was just there, welcoming him.

“It burned like a dream!” The blue-haired idiot, ah, Galo, was spouting. He’d forgotten he was here, lost in a world of just him and the sun. “This is a new beginning. This city’s new beginning.”

A bit on the nose, but wasn’t that his life. From the short time they’d spent together, such dialogue didn’t jar him as it once did.

“Let’s clean up after the fire.” Galo continued, as he simply felt the tug to sit and take a moment of pause. Galo’s disrupting voice didn’t give him that luxury. “Lio, you’re gonna help too!”

“What?” Lio turned his head slightly, quirking an eyebrow.

“We’re short of hands.” Galo simply replied, with both turning their heads towards the handful of people left. The members of Burning Rescue were still huddled in the shadows beyond. What was left of Vulcan was currently pouting much more than their once stoic and silent leader, who looked to be nothing more than a husk.

“We’ll get your buddies to help too.” Galo turned back, settling his hand on his hip.

Gueira and Meis popped into his mind, his last image of them holding off Freeze Force as he was launched into the sky in a makeshift and forced getaway. His eyes angled down to the bent metal they stood upon. Anxiety buried into his chest, ghosting the voices of all the burnish screaming at once. “But …”

“Don’t worry. If the haters give you heat, I’ll put them out.” Galo’s sudden thrust of his arm into a pumped fist was expected of the wannabe hero. His resolution put him back alongside his grin. “Through spark and flames, I got your back!”

How cliché could this character be? Yet the more Lio stared at his unwavering grin, the sun hitting the side of his face, casting rays of light over his happy smile. Slowly, the tension began to fade as he cracked his own smile. “You really are an idiot.”

“Yeah!” He wasn’t expecting his approval, his gloved thumb now pointing at his chest. “The universe’s No. 1 firefighting idiot!”

That same hand reached out into a fist held within the air. Lio gave it a quizzical stare and back up to the smiling buffoon. There was another warmth there he hadn’t felt, both unlike the sun and the Promare. It tightened his chest the same way his anger once had for his people, now without the emotion.

Such a silly thing … he raised his fist to meet his, bumping together. A perfect end, one might say.

“Right!” Galo’s sudden turn to Burning Rescue was too animated for him after everything. “We got a lot of work ahead of us! Let’s all unite and—!”

Lio could only watch as Galo’s knee buckled and he fell forward, knocking his head loud enough that he flinched. The large man cried and huddled to hold his forehead. “Ow, ow, oow!! That hurt!”

“You’re in no condition to help!” The other members had ascended the steep climb, with the pink one, Aina, was it, scolding him particularly. “You just stopped the world from imploding! Your body needs rest!”

“A burning soul never rests until all fires have been put out!” Galo weakly shouted back, trying to raise his head with right eye closed.

“Galo, you’re relieved of duty for today.” A larger man commanded, arms crossed.

“Captain, you too?!” Galo’s tone only became more pathetic, shouting at the one he deemed Captain. He’d never caught any of their names aside from the ones he interacted with, the rest strangers in already a strange group.

“You can help all you want after you let your body heal.” His snap back had Galo wavering, even his hair drooped at the order. The captain’s gaze then turned to Lio, feeling pinpricks on the back of his neck. “And you. Same orders. I want you both back tomorrow morning awake and refreshed.”

Such an order left something to be desired. Lio’s eyebrows fell. “I’m not your employee.”

“Don’t care.” The quick response side-swiped any other retorts he’d thought of. “You two fought hard. We’ll take it from here.”

“Seriously, when do we ever get breaks?” The smallest one piped up, groaning. “Without me, the world would be billions of space chunks. I want a day off.”

“Yeah, let Lucia have my day! I’m more than ready to—!”

“No backtalk!”

“Whatever.”

“But Captain!”

They were all far too loud, irritation growing the longer they kept shouting. Lio wasn’t needed here, briskly turning and only getting a few steps in before another one of the clad firemen stood in his way. He seemed more bookish than the rest with his short hair and thick glasses. “Captain’s orders.”

Another one? He didn’t have time for this, starting to push past. “I’m checking up on the burn—my people.”

He was stopped by the gloved hand on his shoulder, forcing him back. “They’re not your people anymore. We’re all the same. Which means you’re just a civilian.”

Another fire sparked in his stomach with a hardened glare, but the fireman wasn’t backing down. “We’ll make sure everyone is safe and getting the help they need. Go home. We’ll even give you a lift.”

“Maan, can you believe this, Remi?” Lio sharply turned back to the approaching Galo, still sulking. “Captain is making me take a day off! You’ll see; when I come back tomorrow this city will be more awesome than when it wasn’t destroyed!”

Another loud voice, prompting him to knock the hand off his shoulder. “You won’t stop me!”

“Lio!” He turned back with teeth gritted at Galo, whose hand reached out in the air. He felt ready to lash out again, but something in Galo’s expression changed. He eyed the one named Remi. “I got his back. It’ll be quick.”

“And then you’ll go home?” Remi’s expression hadn’t changed, while Galo looked utterly defeated.

“Yes, yes! I’ll get some rest! You all are evil!” Lio’s expression shifted, muscles relaxing while Galo threw his hands up and walked over. An arm slung around his shoulder, pushing him forward. “Let’s go see your buddies.”

He didn’t understand Galo’s sudden ability to read the room, nodding his head. “Thank you.”

“We help those in need,” Galo added, smiling. “Besides, s’not like you can carve your way in anymore.”

Another pit formed in his stomach, uglier than the last as his smile faded. Galo still kept his as they continued down the steep incline. It was harder to walk down than he wanted to admit, eventually finding an open hole to lower each into. Away from the warm sun, Lio eying the bluing sky while they were swallowed into the cold, mechanical world.

A world of coiling snakes and walls of circuitry; having to bend and stoop their way through the complicated maze of warped ideologies. He crawled underneath a narrow blockade of crumpled machinery with the only light given being the panels of technology that hadn’t yet died. Lio continued to move, mind and heart itching when he heard Galo. “Lio!”

Another turn to see the poor man stuck in the same hole with a strained smile. “Help?”

Such a simple task. He blew out air and extended his hand, palm upwards. Yet nothing came, momentarily stunning him at how quick his muscle memory was. It came so naturally, eyeing his palm and the cold emptiness he felt from it. “Little help?”

Galo’s voice snapped him back to reality, walking back over with a hurried step. “Sorry.”

It took both Galo’s hands to get a good grip, pushing back on the balls of his feet. His arms shook, feeling unused muscles burn with small grunts until Galo had moved enough to continue crawling. He popped back up. “Thanks! I probably would have been stuck there all morning without you.”

Yet his congrats didn’t settle the growing pit, hand faintly ghosting over it as he let Galo lead the way. Onwards they continued till the sound of voices echoed down the chambers.

Lio’s breath hitched, legs aching as he started running, not stopping for Galo’s voice. Murmurs turned into a chorus of individual voices, stopping before a large drop as he stared into the massive remains of the generator. A million triangular torture devices with the main control center only held up by its framework. A pool of people waited at the bottom as individuals in white and brown moved to each capsule to free others who were still waiting.

“Boss!” Lio gasped at the shout, eyes angled down to two crouched near one of the capsules. They rose up with arms over their heads, garnering the rest to chime in. “Boss! Boss!”

The room erupted into the chant, louder than he could handle. All strong and powerful tones, a sign of hope that burst his heart. All his fears welled up and rose past his neck and head, pouring out of his eyes only to grit his teeth and deeply inhale through his nose.

Galo’s voice was right behind him but he couldn’t pay attention, jumping down and letting gravity slide what was left of his heels down the slope towards the makeshift bottom. His balance was off, threatening to topple several times but was able to keep it until the slant died, jogging the inertia off as the two earlier ran over.

“Gueira! Meis!” His voice felt hoarse as his generals swept him up into a tight hug. Being able to feel them against him brought back the tears, shoulders tensing. “You’re okay …”

“Thanks to you!” Meis shouted as something wet hit his shoulders.

“That’s our boss! Saving us all the last second!” Gueira chimed in, pulling back. His own blurry vision couldn’t see their tears, but he could hear them in their shaky voices. “Maybe don’t cut it so close next time, yeah? I thought I was going to turn to ashes!”

Lio managed to wipe away his tears in time for the others to hesitantly come over, faces beaming with brand new hope. Their attention was then taken to screaming, watching a blur of red and blue topple down the side and nearly fall into one of the pods. Lio felt Meis and Gueira’s hold tighten on him while Galo sat up, holding his head. “Yoowch ouch! Why does this keep happening?”

“Stay away, firefighter!” Meis stepped forward as the rest backed away, broadening his stance. Fists clenched, he started to scream, but as nothing happened his posture broke, staring at his hands. “Wh-what the? My fire …”

Lio watched Gueira open his palm and snap it shut, devastation in his voice. “No way … it’s gone?”

Murmurs began again as Lio stepped away to get some space. Gueira and Meis, all the once burnish eyes turned to him for an answer. “Galo and I released the Promare back to its dimension. We’re no longer burnish.”

“Dimension?” Meis started, checking his hands again, snapping a few times. “Then … we’re normal?”

More weight to the pit, staring back at the lost faces of his people with his own. He noticed Galo stride forward, keeping his positive energy. “Yup! You don’t have to worry about setting things on fire or hurting people! You don’t have to live in fear any longer!”

Lio eyed up to Galo with a mixed expression only to hear the murmurs change. Sobs with joyful expressions from the survivors, some even breaking down and falling to their knees. “Free! Free!”

Their chants didn’t calm him, turning to his friends as he noticed the same relief on their faces. “Unbelievable …”

“Thank you, boss!” Lio lightly gasped at the random voice in the crowd, followed by several more. “Thank you!”

“You saved us!”

“We can go home!”

“I can finally see my parents again!”

It was a time of celebration, even watching his friends knock fists on Galo’s shoulders. “Hey, you might not be so bad after all!”

“We owe you one, but only one!”

“It was nothing! It’s a firefighter’s job to extinguish all flames!”

His chest tightened again, unable to tell what face he was making as he stood behind. Insurmountable relief flowed through his veins, tainted with something he couldn’t describe. He finally came over with composure found, speaking calmly. “I shall help free the rest.”

“You sure, boss?” Meis threw off his groove, eyeing him with a new concern. “You don’t wanna take a breather? You look beat.”

“Captain’s going to have our heads if we work.” Galo threw his arm over him again, feeling heavier than the last time. “If we do… he might make us take two days off!”

“He’s not my boss.” Lio sharply retorted, though his glare lessened.

“Leave this to us, boss!” Gueira suddenly shouted fists pumped at his sides. “We’ll make sure everyone is okay!”

“Yeah! You go and take care of yourself! We’ll catch up after!”

He couldn’t retort them so easily with such determination burning in their eyes. He relented, sighing. “I relinquish it to you.”

This only further fueled their tired grins, thumbs up. “You got it, boss!”

Led away by Galo from his people, he kept turning his head back as Gueira and Meis bickered lightly, sending out orders to those who could walk to help. Nothing settled right in his stomach, turning back towards the large cracked side of the ship from landing so abruptly. Light tried streaming in, grasping onto anything while the bottom of Burning Rescue’s firetruck could be seen.

A loud rev of an engine soon followed by a large red motorcycle driven by the Captain. Lio had to clamp his ears at Galo’s sudden shriek. “My bike!”

Motor running, the Captain slid off the side after propping it, hands in his pockets. “Better be going home, Galo.”

“I am, I am.” His pursed lips added to his slumped shoulders, unable to keep it for long as he giddily rushed over to the massive motorcycle. “I’ve missed it so much! How did you find it?”

“Nearly got impounded after you pulled your stunt with the governor.” Lio ignored the Captain as he strolled by, heading towards the crawling light.

“Lio!” His leash was so short, wincing and turning back as Galo drove over, extending one leg to keep himself balanced. “Need a lift?”

This back and forth was going on for too long, hair swaying as he locked back onto the light. “No.”

“You sure?” Galo continued to drive by him the further he walked away from the quiet applause and what nearly became a graveyard of innocent souls. It chilled his spine thinking back to that time nearly lost. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere.” He said it so fast, surprising himself. Any place he thought of was ruined or gone, eyelids lowering. He hadn’t thought this far, at a loss of his next steps when he was so close to being bathed again in that newfound light.

Galo’s bright red bike moved in front of him, blocking his path as the light shined around his head. “Ah, that makes sense. Since you were on the run.” His face brightened, nearly matching the light streams. “You can stay with me! Until you get on your feet.”

Lio was taken aback, eyebrows lowering with a scoff. “You’re an idiot.”

“Yeah, we already established that!” Such a witty response threw him off his game as well, feeling so out of it. Still with that bright smile, extending his gloved hand. “But this idiot will never abandon someone in need.”

Stuck in the shadows, the hand extended brought with it the light that he sorely missed. What choice did he have? With a soft sigh, he slowly smiled and took his hand, being helped up the motorcycle. “Fine.”

His slender arms wrapped around his naked front, keeping his back straight as Galo took off, away from the approaching sirens and all he knew. He didn’t realize how biting it was until the winds picked up, shivering in the back while his hair batted his forehead and hit his cheeks. They drove past dozens of wary and confused souls, all staring at the shrinking form of what could have been.

Down the cracked streets and spewing fire hydrants. Beyond the tall that stayed to help. They finally had a moment to breathe and Lio didn’t know even how to do that. He simply clutched Galo tighter, letting the warmth of this small action calm him.

By the time Galo slowed and kicked down the stand, he couldn’t think of anything but how frozen his arms were, how cold his chest was. He shivered with teeth clacking, falling forward when Galo moved up. “Ah, you okay back there?”

He snapped his arms back to hold his own, glaring lightly as Galo slid off with a bright blush. “You cold?” He glared, letting his teeth do the talking. Galo’s eyes widened. “You are! Sorry, I should have driven slower.”

This cold poorly mirrored what he’d been through, yet there was no constant fire in his chest keeping him focused. It felt so empty, sliding off the other side as Galo led the way. “I got lots of blankets you can use!”

Lio eyed the small house they walked towards with close neighbors on either end. It looked quaint, the type someone would see in commercials promoting nuclear families. He climbed up the two steps and into the house, Galo stopping him promptly. “Shoes off!”

He stared down at his knee-high, several strapped boots and back to Galo’s unwavering face. It was his house. With another sigh, he began undoing the straps one by one, taking a moment crouched in the doorway as Galo pulled off his boots and placed them on a small rack near the door.

What felt like forever ended as he released his other leg, letting his boots sag and droop together near the rack as he finally stepped in, closing the door behind him. He felt naked with what remained of his pants on, finally taking into consideration his appearance and the company he had.

The blinding darkness gave way to blinding light, squeezing his eyes shut and garnering a headache at Galo’s sudden shout. “I haven’t been home since I got arrested!”

It piqued his interest enough to open his eyes, staring at the large, framed poster on the wall of Governor Kray smiling. His chest panged as fear surfaced only for Galo to scramble over and pull the picture down. He turned it around and propped it against the wall, eyeing the rest of the framed photographs beside it. Newspaper clippings of Kray’s work or pictures of a smiling Galo with what once was a proud Kray.

With even more shouting they were torn off the wall, Lio watching his outburst. “Jeez, I can’t believe I looked up to that guy! All the stuff he did…nothing but rotten!”

A small smile spread on his face as he walked onto the carpet, grabbing the nearest photo; one of Galo accepting some type of certificate as a teen and taking off the wall. Galo stopped with several frames in hand. “We make mistakes.”

He handed the photo out, causing Galo to drop the rest as they crashed onto his naked foot. Lio winced with him as he pulled his foot out, gently taking the photo. “Yeah… I won’t be making the same one again.”

He helped set the rest of the turned pictures with the larger one, Lio gazing over the pile while Galo had left to grab something. He knew so little about Galo, unnerved at the collection he once hung up as he then turned to his fingers.

Flexing them, he outstretched his palm, calling forth the lack of warmth in his chest as nothing happened. It was so easy before.

“There!” He shut his hand at the mountain of blankets toppling down upon him. He shouted as they buried and sent him to the ground, fighting his way through until he popped out, Galo beaming. “That should be enough! Oop, and!” A pillow bopped his head, falling into the pile. “A pillow!”

He couldn’t get too mad, feeling momentary relief just from the warm mountain of fabric. He never had so many soft options, standing up to take the pillow and only two blankets. “Thank you.”

“I even got a bath going.” Galo pointed behind him, faintly hearing rushing water. “You can go first.”

Such a necessity sounded heavenly, eyes lightening as he felt just how dirty and bruised he was. In taking one step he soon felt his imbalance, eyes widening as he closed them. “Tomorrow.”

“You sure?” Galo asked, but he had already turned away and was making his way for the couch. “A-ah, you sure you want the couch? I don’t mind letting you use my bed!”

“I’m not taking your bed.” Lio cut his generosity, sitting with a thump as the softness was already pulling him down.

He stared at Galo until he relented, shrugging. “Sleep well, okay? You did good today.”

His chest tightened again, eyes leaving until Galo left the living room. His eyes then wandered back to where he once stood, shakily sighing. He felt strange, wondering if he was getting sick. Even with the light on, he placed his pillow on the end and lay down, blankets covering his small form.

He fell asleep the moment he closed his eyes.


	2. Curiosities of Normality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The talented CassieDoughGirl drew a scene from this chapter for their friend's birthday! Happy Birthday, Frostspeak! You can find their handles here and scroll to the bottom to see their lovely work! Thank you again!!
> 
> https://cassiedoughgirl.tumblr.com/  
> https://frostspeak.tumblr.com/

When Lio woke, he mistook it for failing to sleep. He’d just laid down to rest, it hadn’t even been a few seconds and he felt just as exhausted as he did the morning before. Yet the bright horizontal lines of light cascading on the living room floor painted another story.

He started to sit up, wincing terribly the moment he put pressure on his arms. It zipped up his muscles and through his back, hissing. A little pain never deterred him, pushing through the aches to prop himself up and rest his back on the cushions.

He never slept without dreams; closing his eyes for another moment to take in the ambiance. Reminding himself of where he was and everything that led up to it. The flittering tightness returned along with the ugly seed in his stomach; visions flashing of raging emerald and amethyst fires, completely lost in a sea of rage.

He slowly opened his tired eyes and pushed himself off the couch, wobbling with his first step. His next step was worse, knee buckling as his arm shot back, catching the couch before he completely collapsed. Teeth gritted as he furrowed his eyebrows, sucking in a deep inhale of air and rose to his feet. Several small steps balanced out his sudden inertia until he could limp the rest of the way, exiting the living room to turn down the hall.

He heard the rushing water come from this direction, leaving what little light lit up the house into the black darkness. His hand felt over the wall, opening his other palm shoulder height. Irritation set in, clenching his fist and opening it back up. When light failed to spark he finally looked over only to see his empty palm.

Right.

He lowered his tired arm and continued to feel the wall, inching slowly. Loud snoring could be heard further down, another piece of evidence that time had passed. He kept sidling till his hand felt a drop-off, pushing deeper in with no resistance. Carefully he felt the wall inside, hand hitting something small and rectangular.

A snap up and light welcomed him, having to squint and wait a moment to adjust. The bathroom was bigger than any he’d used, pristine toilet on one end and a showerhead encased in a tall glass box. Beyond that was a massive tub, larger than any he’d ever seen.

Eyes landed on the toilet, the urge to go hitting him all at once. He made sure to slam the door as he took care of himself, missing the handle a few times as he stood back up.

Hair swayed as he noticed a large mirror above an even larger sink, almost not recognizing the frail human staring back. His body was blotched with blacks and purples, cuts still fresh as his hair looked especially oily. He pulled at one strand and let it go, frown digging into his skin.

Discarding the last of his ruined outfit, he stepped lightly onto the cold tile towards the bath, but not before opening the shower and eyeing a basket of multicolored products sticking to the wall. Shampoo, conditioner, a still damp rag and a large bar of soap. He eyed the conditioner questionably, placing it back and only picking up the soap.

Did Galo prefer showers? It made little sense to have both options, closing the door and heading over to the tub. He’d offered one last night, turning the knobs and letting the water gush from the faucet head. With soap in hand, fingers curled as he summoned forth the warmth within and stopped himself, sighing loudly. His hand unclenched, stepping out and over to the array of items left on the sink.

More weird bottles, some proclaiming mousse. Lio squinted at the title, reading it again. Since when did a dessert do wonders for the hair? His eyebrows then popped up, imagining the spikes of Galo’s massive hair. It answered so many questions.

He set it down and kept searching till he came upon a handheld, plugged in machine. A simple flip had the thing buzzing, nearly dropping it with a startle. His hand kept it steady, holding his soap and shearing off several strands. He turned off the weird vibrating knife to gather his shreds, heading back over to the filling tub.

As the water rushed, he dropped his shreds in and crouched, wincing to settle on fragile knees and stir with his left arm. The shards began to disappear and create bubbles, standing up once he couldn’t see them under a small layer of foam and turned off the bath.

His muscles relaxed as he slipped a leg into the hot tub, pulling the rest of himself in while his body still throbbed with dull aches. The tips of his hair fanned out as he sunk to his nose, allowing a moment of pause to close his eyes again.

The screams were right in his ears; surrounded by wild flames and magenta radiance. He jerked up suddenly, inhaling deeply as his hand touched over his heart. He sat stiffly back, using his right hand to start scrubbing his left arm. Everywhere he could touch he scrubbed furiously, dunking his head last and using both hands to madly scratch his hair and scalp.

The once clean and bubbly water faded to a light brown, with Lio popping the cork and stumbling out the moment his scalp burned and his limbs were too sore. A towel was stolen from a rack and tied tightly around his waist, subjecting his feet to the cold tiles again and beyond the bathroom.

Drenched in darkness, he aimed for the dimly lit kitchen, checking the cupboards first. Stomach rumbled as he fished out a can of canned soup, clenching it tightly and thinking of heat. His eyebrows furrowed quickly, hissing a half-spoken curse.

Was this all he knew?

Fumbling around, he eventually found a large knife, placing the can on the table and gripping it tightly. A few jabs sliced the knife through the metal, repeating multiple times until he could work enough of the lid off to set it aside. The chunks were unrecognizable, picking up his spoon and leaning against the counter to eat in icy silence. He nearly shoveled down half of it without thinking, wondering when was the last time he even had a meal.

His lips paused when he heard a door creak and a loud yawn. “Lio?”

“Here.” He wouldn’t spook Galo, eyes continuing to bore into the dark until the larger man dragged his way through. Bare-chested as the night before, except his giant puffy pants was replaced with a pair of annoyingly vibrant boxers. He felt his heart skip a beat, yet again finding themselves in nearly naked situations.

The kitchen light wasn’t as bad as the bathroom, able to finally make out the chunks of beef in his soup as he took another hearty spoonful. Galo’s eyes enlarged, caught between the knife and his can. “Did you open that can with a knife?”

Lio quirked an eyebrow, holding his spoon aloft. “I’m not uncivilized.” He slipped the next spoonful in, chewing quietly.

How quick Galo closed the distance put his nerves on alert, tensing as his hand reached to his side and opened a drawer. He pulled out some odd two handle tool with small metal circles, holding it in the air. “You could have used the can opener.”

He scrutinized the simple device, scraping the sides of the can to collect more of the golden soup. “Can opener?”

“Are you eating that cold?” He stared down at his nearly empty can with only two chunks left to be seen. His lips pursed, watching Galo point elsewhere to a large box sitting on the counter. “You should have turned on the lights! I got a microwave right there!”

The boxy device sparked recollection, setting his spoon down inside of his empty meal. He’d forgotten about such a device even existing. Lio didn’t let his surprise openly show, the collection of cold soup settling oddly in his stomach. “I shall use it next time.”

Can opener set down; Galo took a step back to stretch his back, arms above his head. Lio kept himself from staring at his toned waist and pecs. “Anyway, I figured out what we’re doing today! Since we can’t help Burning Rescue clean up the city.”

He smiled faintly at Galo’s pouting lips, resting his now trash on the counter. “The Captain wanted you to rest.”

“I did rest! I got a full night’s rest, in fact! All eight hours!” He held up eight fingers, four on each hand, for emphasis. “My firefighter spirit calls out to the open world!”

He humored Galo’s enthusiasm with a small shrug, crossing his arms alongside his left leg. “What did you have in mind?”

“You!” Lio’s arms fells with sudden surprise at Galo’s pointed index finger. “We’re getting you work certified!”

That was the last thing on his mind, losing interest quickly with more confusion. “Am I not already?”

“Nope! Especially since you were once burnish!” Something in his chest ached, trying not to visibly show it as Galo continued. “The first step to a self-sustaining individual is being eligible to work!”

Most of Galo’s nonsense flew over his head, shaking it. “But you employed me to help clean up the city.”

“That’s volunteer work!” Galo didn’t lose his cheeky smile, taking his finger back.

Lio resumed his earlier posture, crossing his arms as irritation began to set in. “But I didn’t volunteer. You’re making me.”

“But you’re not getting paid! That’s what makes it volunteer work!”

“I wasn’t expecting pay.” He broadened his stance slightly, tone resolute. “If I’m working, volunteer or not, then I am eligible to work.”

“Don’t confuse me like this!” Galo whined, bringing his hands up to hold his drooping hair.

It didn’t take much apparently, sighing as Galo soon sprung back. “Anyway, that’s what we’re doing today! I’ll even take you out to lunch afterward!”

Lio uncrossed his arms slightly with a light blush, heart skipping a beat. The man spun around before he could truly lose his composure, waving a hand back. “Go borrow some clothes from my room and get ready! I’ll be in the bathroom.”

His blush brightened, arms tightening over his chest until he heard the bathroom door snap quietly shut. Would he even have anything his size? He tried to burst that bubble the moment it formed, shaking his head. They were practically strangers.

Eyes settling on his used can, he picked it back up along with the can opener, changing the angle every few seconds. His confusion grew until he heard a shriek, throwing both the can and odd opener behind him and sprinted down the halls. His gait was pathetic as every step felt like his bones breaking, trying to push through the soreness. “Galo!”

“My razor!” He stopped abruptly when the bathroom door swung open, Galo fumbling out holding his disfigured soap and the other odd device. “There’s soap all over it!”

Lio’s ears burned, suddenly foolish to be so serious. “Sorry, I was going to clean that along with the bath.”

“The _bath_?” He startled at Galo’s impromptu bewilderment, following after him when he ran further into the bathroom.

Galo fell to his knees as he clung to the sides of his beloved tub, voice growing louder. “My bath!”

His embarrassment burned into annoyance, stomping over. “I said I was going to clean it!”

“You don’t wash in the bath!” He flinched at Galo’s snap back, gesturing over to the showerhead. “You wash over there! The bath is for relaxation and reenergizing after a long day!”

The shower part finally came into play, yet it only further fueled his irritation. “How was I supposed to know that? All you’re doing is wasting water!”

“Everyone does!” Galo’s voice suddenly stopped cold with a look of realization. “Lio… how long were you on the run?”

The question set him back, anger blowing away until he was as cold as he felt. Memories of emptiness, of simply carrying a backpack and running from sirens and screaming people. Huddled in dark corners with only his fire to keep him company, taking refuge in abandoned structures.

He must have been too silent for too long as Galo stood back up. “Did you have anything?”

“I had myself.” It vomited out of his mouth before he could catch it, shame brightening his cheeks. “And anyone I could help. My people… I’ve been… out of touch with your kind for a long time.”

Taking up Galo’s offer now felt ridiculous, preferring to have slept outside somewhere. The shame kept burning in his mind and chest until a pair of arms swept him up into a tight hug. His arms dropped suddenly as his breath hitched, hearing Galo right in his ear. “We’re not so different anymore.”

Conflicting feelings; a burning ugliness that clashed with a light passion upset his stomach more than the soup. He forced his hands to rise up and hold his back, eyes angled to the floor. Soon though, his embrace was taken as Galo wore his proud grin. “Well, that settles it! I’ll teach you everything you need to know and you can stay as long as you want!”

Lio’s ears warmed at Galo’s radiant disposition, frowning. “I don’t need pity.”

“This isn’t pity! It’s helping a friend out.” Galo crossed his own arms, spouting. “And even if I didn’t know you’d been a hobo this entire time, I still would have let you stay!”

Lio gawked, voice stuttering. “I wasn’t some hobo!”

“Right, you were a well-dressed one!” Galo seemed to have forgotten about his precious bath, walking away towards his sink where he picked back up the soap. “Which you don’t have anymore. But that’s okay; I got a little extra so we can go clothes shopping too!”

His retorts felt less important when he noticed the large burn scars trailing up Galo’s arm. His voice caught in his throat, staring heavily until Galo looked over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about cleanup; just grab whatever you want and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

A simple nod was enough, leaving the bathroom and shutting the door behind. The illuminated kitchen gave way the location of his bedroom door, making his way over. He found the switch again, not at all blinded as it gave way for a surprisingly clean room.

Little to large scale robots were lined up in a row atop of a small bookshelf with a huge banner of the Burning Rescue emblem nailed to his wall. Three photos sat atop of his dust-free dresser, with the middle one turned down. A picture of a much younger Galo with two beaming adults and a picture of him posing with what looked to be a dressed-up mop surrounded by the Burning Rescue team. Lio even spotted said mop hanging by two hooks on another wall, slightly singed at the edges.

Shuffling through another man’s wardrobe was a little awkward, having to pull out most articles and hold them aloft. They nearly took up his arm span to hold them out, settling on a large black T-shirt and a pair of black pants. More rummaging procured him a belt, shedding his towel to try on the clothes.

The shirt covered him completely down to his mid-thighs, sleeves hanging off his slim arms. Lio glanced over his shoulder, gazing down only to witness himself in a full-length mirror. His blush grew as he snapped back around, pulling on the shirt and hastily grabbing the pants. They nearly slid off until he snatched the belt, looping it around and pulling tight. It almost didn’t fit him, still a little loose around his hips even as he fastened it to the final hole.

Stuffing the shirt into his borrowed pants, he gave another glance at the mirror and down to his nearly covered feet. He felt more ready for bed than the day, snapping back the moment the door opened and Galo came striding in. “Looks great on you! Got a black theme going, huh?”

Lio pressed his arms in front of his chest. The doofus had strolled in with just a towel as he did, keeping his eyes up. Somehow his hair was already dry and in its signature spikes. “Your wardrobe is too bright.”

“Yeah, it’s awesome!” He walked past him to the dresser, fishing out a pair of sweatpants and a large hoodie. “And soon you’ll be just as bright!”

From the mirror he watched the towel knot slip, exposed to much more than he liked to see. His hand shot up to cover the side of his head, barking. “Don’t get dressed while I’m here!”

“We’re both guys, not like you haven’t seen what’s below.” Lio’s ears nearly burned off, mouth agape until he felt Galo’s hand ruffle his hair. “You can look now.”

He scowled upwards and lost some of his resolve; liking the way the casual hoodie hugged his frame. His chest nearly hurt from all the fluttering, unable to put a word to these complicated feelings. He had to be getting sick.

Sudden flustering feelings fleeted when Galo sprinted for his clock, eyeing it with mouth agape. “It’s 2 o’clock?! The DPS closes at 4!”

Whatever codeword Galo used flew over his head, gasping when his wrist was seized and dragged out of his room. “Craaap, there’s probably a huge line by now! No time for breakfast!”

“W-wait!” Lio nearly fumbled over his ankles a few times, Galo only releasing him to pull up his boots. His legs and arms burned, reliving all the dull aches of every punch and attack the last few days.

Fumbling, he managed to grab and pull his legs through his ridiculously long boots, starting to buckle the first few until Galo snatched his hand. “No time!”

The rest of his boots flapped against his legs as they rushed out of the house, Galo nearly jumping over his fence and onto his bike. Lio slammed the fence door and scurried onto the back, only having enough time to hug tightly and let the wind of the afternoon whip his hair back. His shirt ballooned as they took off, tugging on the fabric enough to release a small portion on his back, letting the air pass through.

The city looked just as desecrated in the afternoon sun. It was easier to see what once was part of the city sticking oddly into the sky from so far away. And yet they passed a street corner with an elderly woman walking her dog and a front yard with children playing in fallen leaves. They passed by a car with a small family eyeing them, birds still flew above their heads and departed in another direction.

Things kept moving without him.

The real world slapped him hard in the face. Of having to stand in lines with other sad souls; of monotone voices and waiting on numbers. This entire process made no sense to him, with Galo happily and too loudly walking him through it. Pictures taken, fingerprints inked and printed. Apparently he had something called a ‘social security’ already that he ‘lost’. Though, he was lacking paperwork for a ‘license’. All he walked out with was wasted hours and a small card with numbers that were apparently as crucial as his life.

People made things so jarring.

Afterward, they toured a myriad of shops with different brands and fashion lines. It had been so easy whenever his clothes ripped or he needed another pair to just slip it off the rack and stuff it in a bag. Yet the moment he even tried Galo snapped, thrusting into his hands a few bills. And even then, he merely sought two full ensembles, but only because Galo insisted he couldn’t have one pair of clothes. Little did he know.

One bag, two boxes of shoes and an even smaller box filled with food was what he balanced in front of him as Galo opened his front door. The sun had retreated beyond the horizon some time ago, using the artificial light of technology to find their way. Galo gave him some relief in taking his goods to take off his boots.

“Man, we were out later than I expected.” He listened to Galo while he finished taking off his second boot, setting them aside next to the rack. He hardly felt pain in his soles as he stepped onto the carpet, retrieving his items to set them on the couch. “But it was fun!”

Lio decided to keep silent, plucking his food box off the rest and folding back the flaps. He’d heard of Chinese food but never got a chance to taste it, cupping both hands around the hot sides as steam still wafted off the top. He felt some amusement holding it this way, expecting for half a heartbeat to feel a kindredness in his soul that never blossomed.

Before he could speak, a pair of wooden sticks were thrust into his face, Galo plopping into the seat next to him with his own box. “Too bad the pizza joint was still closed. They’re probably resting like us. I’m sure they’ll be back in business in no time!”

He took the odd sticks in his fist, squinting at what connection he was supposed to make. He surveyed the way Galo held his to pluck a small slab of beef and pop into his mouth and tried replicating the same hold.

“So?” He dropped his chicken back into the box from being spooked, eyeing Galo who had his full attention on him. He spoke while chewing. “Getting the hang of things?”

Even Lio wasn’t that uncivilized. The saucy chicken piece slipped through his sticks again as he sighed irritably. “I can hardly eat. What’s wrong with using a spoon?”

“Asian food tastes better with chopsticks!” His box was raided as he tried to tip it up and failed, Galo snatching a piece of chicken. He laid his hand flat underneath it, inching it towards him. “Here!”

Lio’s face felt too heated, leaning his head back as he rose his voice. “I’m not some child! I can eat my own food!”

“Just trying to help.” Galo still kept inching the piece closer, clearly unaware of his actions. “You wanted to eat, so come on!”

He couldn’t believe the stupidity and how it fluttered his heart, slowly going against his stubbornness to meet the chicken halfway. He pinched it between his teeth and leaned back, chewing with a newfound sense of shame. The chicken’s taste didn’t matter when Galo smiled like the idiot he was, back to plucking his own food. “Good, right? I always get these guys whenever I crave Chinese.”

“…It’s fine.” He quietly murmured, forgoing the plucking technique as he rose up on his knees, swiftly jabbing his stick into Galo’s box. The man gasped loudly and didn’t have the reflexes to stop him, sinking back into his seat with one of his pierced beef.

He smugly held it close at Galo’s bewilderment. “That’s for the chicken.”

“I was being nice! And you don’t stab your chopsticks into your food!” He hardly cared about the technique; only that Galo’s face was just as red as his. He pulled the beef off the stick with his teeth and let himself revel in his victory, leaning back onto the couch while Galo continued to try and visually show him how to grasp and eat properly.

Perhaps today wasn’t so foolish.


	3. Bit by Bit

Lio couldn’t believe he had to carry this dolled up mop with him to the station. Of all the customs Galo tried ingraining into his head the night before, this was definitely the strangest.

“Everyone!” Galo’s bright and chipper voice this early in the morning was graining on his brain, stuck with the rest of Galo’s teammates suddenly stopping their work to turn to them. He turned back with a huge thumbs up. “Just like we practiced!”

He’d spoken to crowds before, yet six pairs of eyes were too much. He inhaled deeply and raised his voice, tapping the decorated mop on the ground. “Lio! Fotia!” Holding aloft the mop, he twirled it lightly above his head, dipping it towards the audience. “Nice to meet you!”

“Aw jeez, another one.” The smallest of the bunch murmured, swiveling her chair back to the massive computer mainframe she seated herself in front of.

“You got him to wield your matoi?” Aina, who looked equally done, asked in a monotone voice.

Lio suddenly lowered the mop, blush brightening his face as his words weren’t so confident. “Is this not how you greet new coworkers?”

“Nah, you did great, Lio!” The hard slap on the back jostled him, clutching the mop with both hands.

A simple exchange of tiresome faces of his team compared to Galo’s burning smile completed the picture in his mind, loudly sighing. “You tricked me.”

“I didn’t trick y—!” Galo faltered when he pushed the mop into his hands. Lio held his hands head-height and walked off. “H-Hey, Lio! A firefighter doesn’t let the matoi almost drop!”

“Enough fooling around.” Lio paused at the sharp bark of the Captain who stood within the doorframe to his office. “If you got energy, you got time to work. The rest of the volunteers are gathered, so let’s head out.”

The group sprung up, albeit with less energy than he expected for a force of firefighters. Galo rushed ahead towards his own locker, lining up with the rest as they prepared for the journey. His arm was seized and pulled back. “Lio, was it?”

He snapped his arm back to hold it in front of his chest, stance widening only to realize it was the pig-tailed blonde girl. Her gaze was amused. “You wanna fight? You did quite a number on my pet projects. I should ask for compensation.”

The rat sitting on her shoulder nodded its head with a solemn expression. Lio’s expression lightened, remembering the fight he had when he first met Galo. “I’m afraid I don’t have any money.”

“Eh, that’s alright. Was just teasing on that.” Her sudden lean with a smarmy grin offset him. “Althooough, I would forget all about this if you give me your bike.”

Grabby hands reached out, an interest sparking in her eyes that unnerved him. “Let’s see it, I know you have it! I got ideas that need to see fruition!”

He took a hurried step back only for her to follow, baring his teeth. “I don’t have it!”

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’m serious!” A lonely pang filled his chest, eyes sweeping down. “I could only summon it with my powers. With the promare gone… it went with it.”

“For real?” The woman let up with an equally startled expression, her rat companion covering its mouth with his paws. “Not even some blueprints? Aw, man!”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Lio’s tone was harsher, simply wanting to get away from such an eccentric woman.

Thankfully, the brick of a Captain stepped in, sunglasses hiding his gaze. “Lucia, stop pestering the newbie.”

With a pout, Lucia stepped off, hands in her lab coat pockets. He stared upward at the Captain as he strolled past, ordering. “Stay with Galo.”

A simple nod, following after towards the massive fire truck everyone was piling into. There was an odd sensation from looking at the Captain, imagining orders collect and rot in his throat. He almost felt lost with such a commanding presence.

“Lio!” Galo waited at the entrance in, one hand waving as the other had slung a bright red jacket over his shoulder. He stepped over as quickly as he could with his muscles still sore, climbing up to then have something flutter over his back. “You can borrow this for now!”

His hands reached over opposite arms to pull the fabric closer, recognizing the bright red of Burning Rescue. His shoulders and arms burned as he tried to keep his composure. “It doesn’t suit me.”

“I think it looks great!” His loud declaration wounded his pride, tightening his hold on the jacket. It wouldn’t hurt to wear it for a little.

They piled into the massive, dark truck; the light that shined in the station blocked by the heavy door. The world around him went pitch black to then illuminate in greens, with a large monitor sparking to life of the lifting garage door. So captivated was he at the technology that he gasped when his hand was held. He turned his head and saw the faint silhouette of Galo. A faint squeeze and he felt his warm smile on his own lips.

The ride to downtown was noisy but entertaining. Galo spouting facts and tips of what it’s like to be a firefighter. Someone in the distance groaning. Lucia tried getting Galo to shut up three times but all attempts failed. By the time the backdoor opened everyone appeared exhausted but Galo, who pumped his fists and ran out. “Another day, another—!”

He stopped at the doorframe, Lio pushing up to follow after. “Bite your tongue?”

Yet the little spar he tried to have rolled back in his throat and his heart sank. The sunlit rubble had nothing on the two diverse crowds that protested outside of a building. Chanting could be heard on both ends as police separated the two, many trying to instigate one another.

“Kray Foresight is a hero!”

“He put everyone’s needs first!”

“It’s all propaganda; he should be rewarded for his efforts!”

“Kray Foresight is a murderer!”

“He would have sacrificed countless lives to further his own!”

“He can’t hide behind his lies any longer! Send him to the electric chair!”

“Aw damn…” Galo’s grim tone further fueled his hatred, burning something in his stomach.

One step was all he got just as the Captain stepped into view, his stance like a wall. “Ignore them. It’s not our battle.”

“Wasn’t he thrown in jail?” Galo’s question seemed so far off, eyes focusing in on the right crowd with signs of heroics and propaganda. It sounded like snakes hissing in his ears.

“It’s more complicated than that. Heris came out with her statement yesterday on the results of launching the ship. Kray will be going to court twice; the first one for the murder of Deus Prometh and the second will be the first-ever court ruling with the world leaders in attendance on his plan to warp to another planet.”

“So… he’s not going to jail?”

“If he’s found not guilty in both trials.”

“ _Not guilty_?” Lio hissed, his reddening gaze focusing on the Captain. He jumped down of the truck, hands clenching into fists. “He nearly destroyed the world! Sacrificed _my_ people to run away from _his_ problems! He deserves—!”

“Hey,” A heavy hand rested on his shoulder, all his anger switching to Galo. It soon dissipated for a moment, coming back only as a warm burn as he forcibly removed his hand.

“As I said; ignore them.”

Captain or not, his anger simmered horribly in his gut even after he walked off. A quick swipe up to Galo’s face and he could see the effects of the horrid chanting. Unease.

“Galo! Get your suit and start lifting.” Galo snapped to attention, clutching his matoi-mop.

“Yes, captain!” Lio had no say when the mop was thrust into his hands. “Hold onto this for me? Be the beckon the others need!”

He fumbled for a moment until he gripped it tightly, left to babysit the prized item. The task blew away some of his smoke, smirking. “Like I haven’t done that.”

They both exchanged grins just as Galo dashed off, hopping over a giant rock back into the fire truck. Such sunshine faded away back to the horrid noise, fingers tightening around the handle. His hair wanted to rise, seeking inside a spark that no matter how hard he looked wasn’t there. Somehow, he burned harder.

“Boooosss!!” Hair swayed as he turned behind, eyeing Gueira and Meis jogging over. They still wore their same ratty outfits with horrendously ugly, flashy yellow vests over top. “Can you believe this? Making us wear something so cheap and broke!”

“I feel like a school cross-guard.” Meis dejectedly sighed, prompting Gueira to smirk.

“Where’s your stop sign, Mr. Cross-guard? Doing a pretty shit job on your first day!” A friendly punch into his Meis’ shoulder garnered the same back. “And lookie here, it’s your friend the janitor and his special mop!”

The scowl on Lio’s face didn’t lighten, sighing heavily at the constant hisses. “Ignorant.”

The playful banter of the two halted, faces stern as they gazed beyond him. “Yeah, couldn’t believe it when I first heard them. Ingrates.”

“Probably the ones that had a first-class ticket to living. They’ll come around.” Meis offered, eyes focusing more on Lio.

“If I ever get my hands on Kray…” Lio snapped over to Gueira and his shaking fists. “For all he did to us!”

“Burnish don’t kill.” The statement froze Gueira, calming his fists to unclench. It was more than just reassurance for him, wishing he could rip out the ugly part wedged underneath his skin.

Gueira huffed. “But _they_ do.”

“Bro, chill.” Meis was the ice to cool off Lio’s mindset, nodding along. “I’m pissed too but what are we gonna do? Guy will go to the slammer and that’ll be it. It’s what he deserves.”

“Listen to Meis. It’s not good to linger on these things.” Yet his gaze went over his shoulder to the heavy mechanical noises of Galo’s crew working. Galo just stood there for a moment in his mech, stoic. It hurt more than he liked to admit.

“Sure, sure boss.” Gueira threw his arms over his head. “If you ain’t mad, I got no reason to be.”

The discord in his voice didn’t reassure him. “Lio!”

The group parted as Aina walked over the uneven concrete, holding in her hands two brooms. “Er, I’ve been meaning to ask if it’s okay to call you that.”

“You could call him boss if you wanna!” Lio faltered at the sudden arms on his shoulders, accompanied by the same on his head. Gueira and Meis leaned forward with grins.

“The burnish might be gone but the Mad Burnish lives on! We’re still taking initiates!”

Her friendly smile faded into a forced one. “I’m not calling you boss.”

A quick swipe up of his arms had both of his boys off. “Lio’s fine.”

“Mind helping me over here?” Aina pointed to the mess surrounding them. “You can even use your mop.”

A slight giggle shouldn’t have irritated him, knowing it was outside factors to blame. He shrugged and took a few steps over. “Galo would cry if I dirtied this.”

“Yeah, he really loves that.” Aina pressed her broom onto the ground, leaning on it. Her sentimental expression hardened as she gazed above him. “And you two, head back over to your group. We got a long day today.”

“And if we say no?” Meis’ tone was playful, but a sharp glance behind him had both boys stiffen, turning right around. “But helping the community sounds fun! We’ll see you later, boss!”

He smiled at that, knowing they’d do him good. Aina picked back up her broom. “So are they like your subordinates or…?”

How quickly he lost his smile. “They’re my friends. However they wish to view me, I don’t mind.”

“But you’re their leader… or, I guess ex-leader.” Such an off-handed comment grew the thorns inside his torso.

It felt so overgrown, trying to hide it with a stoic expression. “They appointed me that title. I was just trying to help.” Though he didn’t squash the swelling pride at the thought.

He began to rest the matoi on a nearby rock and paused, bringing it back to his chest. This thing was becoming quite a nuisance. His other hand took the broom Aina grasped, angling the long wooden pole under his arm.

“So, what’s your favorite thing to do?” Aina’s chirpy question threw him for a loop, pausing his awkward cleaning to give her a puzzled look. She met it with slight awkwardness. “I mean … if you’re going to be hanging around for a while, we should get to know you! Aside from being a terrorist, I mean.”

If he had horns they’d be shooting up out of his skull, tail twitching and all. He brushed some pebbles to the side, having to really consider the question. “I like … riding my motorcycle … and … staying alive …”

“Wow, you’re real fun at parties, aren’t you.” Aina leaned over her broom, a teasing smile on her face. “Lighten up! I’m not going to bite.”

“Feels like you’re nibbling.” The retort felt a little mean, adding a trying smile. “I haven’t had much time to myself.”

“Surely you did other things than rescue burnish.” Her comment was light, while his thoughts grew dark.

“We never had much time for pause and reflection. Always on the move, always hiding from any outside forces. Comrades lost, some for good, as we scrambled to try and rescue them. I’ve been the sole survivor of many lost families, back when all I could do was cry and pray someone stronger would be able to save them.”

He glanced down to his hand clutching the matoi, fingers warm. “All I wanted was a place where my people could live with peace and happiness in mind. I felt… so close…”

Aina’s face fell, held up only by a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry.”

She came closer only to lean her broom on the large pile of rubble. Hands braced the uneven edge, pushing herself to sit atop. “You were just looking out for the ones you loved. My sister felt the same.”

Hand extended to him, eying her offer with slight confusion. He reluctantly put the matoi in her palm to focus entirely on his broom. She cradled the mop on her lap. “She’s going to court too. For her involvement with Kray.”

His blood ran cold, freezing entirely midway through his sweep. “Helped him?”

“She… did some bad things.” Aina’s tone stressed, eyes hurt. “When I learned it was all for me… I didn’t know how to feel about it. I always looked up to her. I just wish… if she’d just come to talk to me before all this.”

He couldn’t understand her reasoning, finally completing one sweep and knocking his broom on the ground. Aina flinched as he stared at her. “Why are you telling me this? I’m the mad burnish leader; a terrorist. I could easily put a hit out on her if I wanted.”

He waited for her face to twist into disgust or defensive anger, something to relate to the heat he felt inside. Yet her shocked expression then turned snarky, holding the matoi to the side. “Well, we beat you once, Mad Burnish Leader Lio. I don’t see how we can’t beat you again.”

Somehow, that little wink at the end dissipated some of the flames. It was his turn to be shocked, lax enough to finally smile. “I think I could beat you one on one. You don’t have your plane here.”

“Oh? Is that a challenge?” She suddenly kicked off the rubble, grasping the matoi in front of her. “Plane or not, I’m trained to extinguish all fires. Hah!”

He wasn’t expecting her to actually attack, leaning back quickly as the mop almost flung into his face. She kept coming at him, thrusting with a swelling laugh. He side-stepped and gripped his broom in both hands; pushing it out to connect with the matoi. “Ho ho! He strikes!”

Longarm wasn’t his first weapon choice, pulling back and twirling to then thrust the fuzzy end forward. Aina jumped as he felt the end brush against something. “Hey, no low blows!”

A rush of excitement took over, tempted to chase it to the end. Instead, he placed his mop down to lean on, smirking. “There are no rules in combat. If you’re not prepared for everything, then you aren’t fit to fight against me.”

“Hey, hey! No fair!” The sudden rush of Meis and Gueira standing before him threw him for a loop. They brandished two shovels, clearly the excitement going to their heads. “Fighting without us, boss? You can’t have all the fun!”

“We, the mad burnish, will carry on! Our flames burn the brightest!”

“Three on one, eh? You two don’t look so tough!” Aina proclaimed, keeping the matoi across her chest. “Burning Rescue will have the last say in this battle!”

“Quit roughhousing!” Lio’s blood ran cold, everyone freezing to turn to the Captain barking over. “Get back to work!”

Meis and Gueira lowered their weapons. “Maaan, why’s he gotta ruin our fun?”

“S-Sorry Ignis,” Aina shouted back, shooing the other two away. A look of defeat was splattered over her face. “I can’t believe I did that. Galo is rubbing off on me.”

Lio ignored the whining of his friends, able to still keep his smile. “You and me.”

Aina’s spirits rose, handing back over the matoi. He took it to then have her hand brush over his. “You’ll find your way. Just like Heris.”

The name sparked in his mind, leaving him feeling icy. Heris; the same person Ignis spoke about. He’d remember the name, trying not to show the cogs turning in his head. He turned to outside the destruction and over to a small sidewalk where people passed by.

A small flickering flame cupped between a man’s hands up to a cigarette had him rushing over in a panic. “Wait!”

The man startled, hands opening to a small metal box clasped in his hand. “You trying to scare me, kid?”

“How did you do that?” There was no way the fire hadn’t come from his palm, intrigued by the box that stayed intact.

“What, light a cigarette?” The man eyed him pitifully, snapping back the top part. The flame that sparked brightened his chest, feeling a strong desire. He had to have it.

Hands reached out and snatched the box, turning back and jumping over destroyed concrete as the man shouted. He didn’t look back to see if he followed, running straight over to Gueira and Meis just before they met back up with the rest. “Gueira! Meis!”

They turned as Lio flipped open the top, thumb rolling down the side just like he’d seen the man do. A faint click and fire spewed from the small opening. Immediately, he felt a sense of relief and calm, breathing quietly to just stare fondly at the flames. Meis and Gueira eyed the little thing for a moment and smiled. “It’s a lighter. Kind of cool, huh?”

“I’ve never seen one!” Lio brought the flame closer, hand cupping the flames a few inches up. Heat he’d sorely missed flickered close to his chest. “It’s just like our promare…”

“Speaking of which, I’ll need to get one now if I wanna take a hit.” Meis off-handedly commented. “You’ve never seen one of these?”

But he ignored his question, testing turning it off and on a few times. Sudden timed flames sparked and died as Lio furiously worked the roller, catching both the attention of Meis and Gueira. Silence but for the clicks of multiple different fires; disgruntled at how slow he worked the lighter. Soon enough both nodded their heads. “Got it, Boss.”

Not another word was exchanged as they walked off, swinging shovels over their shoulders to regroup with dozens of others helping out. Yet Lio didn’t turn to move or speak, eyeing still the little light in his hand.

Fingers drew close, backed off slightly, and came back in enough to cook the tips. It wasn’t the familiar purples and greens he’d come to know, yet this one was still just as friendly.

_Burn._

_Let me grow brighter._

_Let me feed!_

He drew in a sharp gasp and recoiled his fingers away, staring hesitantly now at the fire. His hand drew to clutch over his shirt, seeking inward and still finding nothing. Only emptiness.

A moment’s pause until he closed the cap and stuffed the lighter in his pocket. Voices of several popped in and out, focusing on the theatrics of Galo. The once-proud matoi was left on the ground, not even realizing he’d dropped it to begin with. Quickly crouching to pick it up, he turned and hurried over to the bright voices.


	4. Clocks Held Still

A small flickering flame dancing in the snow. The sky rains powdered sugar and long, folded newspapers hurry through the stations, honking cries of outrage. A tender hand he held with his warm mittens; all bundled up by mother’s discretion. Always pulled to and fro amongst a sea of paper dolls.

_I want to burn._

A child’s voice; just like his softly whispered to him.

_I want to grow!_

His fingers slipped away from the older hand, boots crunching through the snow. Each footprint left sprouted pillars of fireflies, dancing around the sugar. His eyes glimmered with the same amethyst hues, reaching his mitts towards the source. His heart beat in time with the flickers, warming his chest.

_I want to live!_

Digits cradled the fire, surging up through his mittens as he closed them. A deep pang rang through his chest, choking while he stumbled. Everything burned, the whispers collecting together as they buzzed and slammed into his skull. Teeth buzzed and eyes warmed until he vomited a pillar of fire, eyes spewing beams of flames. His mittens grabbed his head, pulling hair as tears streamed down his face, screaming while the chatter deafened his ears.

_I want to grow!_

_I want to live!_

_I want to burn!_

He couldn’t see or feel, wildly stumbling and turning every which way while still crying for someone, anyone to listen. Veins felt ready to burst with magma, heart beating so fast as every crevice burned hotter than the sun.

The fire eventually spilled out over his lips like drool, eyes regaining sight as he hesitantly stood. The powdered snow fell onto scorched cement, the world burning in paper dolls. Billowing smoke rose up from their ashes, head snapping over to his caretaker. A metal pole stuck up from the ground, attached to the burning remains of a plastic mannequin whose hand he once held. Flames licked at the arm while the fingers melted to the ground in droplets of wax.

The sudden warmth in his chest stung and ached, screaming until his voice was hoarse. His whole world came crashing down on him when he heard panging cracks and the stone world shattered.

He fell head-first away from the fire into a world of greens and purples, eyes reflecting the majestic colors. The glass shards of the world reflected a different person; faces that only brought misery and hopelessness. Faces he lost; faces he hadn’t met yet. He reached out to two individual frames; an elder woman and man, mittens sinking in to ripple around. When he pulled back they were replaced with leather gloves, closing his eyes as his body grew, warmth spreading all throughout his body.

_We want to grow._

His voice joined the chorus, deepening, losing its innocence. Hardened eyes opened back up to the swirling vortex of fire opening up into a rundown street. A cacophony of objects plagued the area; ruined houses, massive sprawling deserts, dying forests, abandoned shops.

His leg swung down hard to flip him over as he sat back, smashing his fists together and pulling away. Handles of fire formed, capped off by black, almost onyx-like metal as more pieces formed. His seat manifested around him, leaning back into the mad fire as the tires snapped on last. A hard snap back of his wrists roared Detroit to life. They exited the portal, descending rapidly with the wind whipping his hair up and around. He let go of the handles for a split second to reach into the fires spewing from his mufflers. A snap forward arched the flames into his signature bow, pulling back his other arm to summon forth a barrage of arrows that sped faster than the motorcycle to the ground.

They smashed into the earth and pierced through the concrete, forming a fiery ramp that his motorcycle jolted and sped off down. Waves of fire licked the earth wherever he drove, unbeknownst to other devilish bikes that leaped out of his flames to join. He eyed either side of the growing group of matchsticks embroiled in their own promare.

_We want to burn._

The adrenaline rush buzzed his bones, surges of excitement hammering his mind. The metal crawled up his gloves and encased them, staying still while the bike consumed him whole. His world turned light green with diagonal lines, sitting back on his pride and joy as he let the promare completely encapsulate him. Chants all around filled his ears. “Kid! Kid! Lio! Lio! Boss! Boss!”

It brought its own rush, finally allowing himself to grin. He wanted to drive faster, burn brighter. Yet the brightest he burned was the moment the road ahead exploded into rectangular structures of ice. Screams alerted him to his sides, witnessing his comrades be enveloped in the same ice confinement.

A pang of fear disrupted all thoughts, arms growing cold as he tried to turn around. “Hang on!”

But no matter how hard he turned the Detroit wouldn’t budge, forced to watch the rest of his gang freeze over with the ends of their matchstick stubs reaching for him. Coldness replaced the warmth and all at once he was ejected out of his suit. He landed and rolled, hitting every limb on the ground until he was caught in an entanglement of sharp tin foil.

Shirtless, bruised, he angrily turned and all his resolve left. A face of razor-sharp edges and magazines of Kray’s gentle face blurred his view, stepping away to reveal the blazing purple room of screams. Pink and purple construction paper spewed out of the triangle prison cells, burning the matchsticks withering inside.

The fires he once felt disappeared, replaced with a paralyzing horror as the machine he was hooked up to roared to life. Fire seeped into his limbs, burning as flames spewed involuntarily outwards. His fingers started to curl like wood and break off, ashes on the wind. The cries of not just his people but those tiny voices diluted all his senses, screaming.

**_We WaNt To LiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiVe!!!_ **

Sitting up, Lio clutched his chest desperately, letting out a terrified cry of help. Nails kept digging into his overnight shirt, clawing near his heart as his voice couldn’t, wouldn’t stop. Legs bunched near his chest, eyes staring into nothingness.

“Lio!” Hurried footsteps soon followed strong hands grabbing his arms. He tried pushing back with all his strength.

“NO!”

“LIO!!” A firm shake refocused his eyes, teeth gritted with some semblance of trying to regain control. His eyesight doubled but quickly zoned in on Galo’s pained expression, shaken again. “It’s okay!”

He was swept up into a tight embrace, able to feel Galo’s hand softly brushing through the baby hairs on the back of his neck and upward. His voice left with his screams, trembling while Galo quietly spoke. “It’s okay…”

All he could do was grasp him back, burying his head into the crook of his neck as a fresh wave of tears broke through. Anything he wanted to stay clogged in his throat, mind playing catch-up on what just happened. Galo didn’t let up for a single second, murmuring. “Do you want to talk about it?”

A firm shake, hearing Galo breathe. “Okay.”

His hand slid down to his back, breath hitching as he was lifted up. His blanket fell to the ground as Galo carried them off through the darkness and towards the only logical place he could think of. The bed was softer than the couch ever could be, Galo’s hands retreating for a moment only to lay beside him. He reached out for them and met halfway, pulling them over his back.

That unfamiliar warmth pushed against his chest the closer they came. A blanket was moved over them both as he listened to Galo breathe. Rhythmic and calm, he tried to match it, still unable to stop quivering. “Better?”

A soft nod, eyes peering up to the almost shining blue ones above him. He hated feeling this vulnerable, but somehow… it wasn’t so bad. His hands pressed against his chest, laying his head against a pillow while Galo’s calm voice made him close his eyes. “It’ll be okay. I’ve got you.”

Such warmth that he sought resonated in his own chest, soothing him enough to still. Then, his eyes snapped open when he felt the tiniest butterfly of a kiss on his forehead. But Galo’s head had moved back, resting as his voice rumbled. “Sleep well, Lio.”

His eyes drifted back down, cheeks colored rosy as his eyelids fell. His heart sped up, toes curling as he wished for just a moment that this wouldn’t end.

~

A dreamless sleep, he woke up moments later with half-open eyes to Galo gone. Fingers curled where he used to lay, still able to feel the warmth residing in the mattress. The large Burning Rescue banner across the wall confirmed his suspicions, rolling just enough to lay in his spot. The heat was not enough, heart panging while he closed his eyes, drawing the blankets further up.

He would be back.

Sizzles far off reopened his eyes, smelling something sweet in the air. A few more moments of laying in silence until he pushed up, the blanket falling down his chest. Bare feet stepped onto the carpet as he made his way out of the room, closed the door behind him, and turned to the kitchen.

Galo peered over his shoulder where the sizzling was the loudest, spatula in hand. “Good morning! Sorry if I woke you up.”

“It’s fine,” His simply retorted to then touch lightly his throat. When had that returned?

The hand fell as he made his way over with no awareness for Galo’s personal space. Large, tan and thick puddles were being cooked on a large flat pan with small holes popping up. Another curious oddity, eyeing Galo who gave him a thumbs up. “Figured I’d make us some pancakes this morning. First day off and everything, we gotta have at least one cheat day!”

He remembered the crazy concoctions Galo would try and whip up in the early mornings before they headed to Burning Rescue Headquarters. The craziest was watching something called a blender pulverize solids into liquids with most of them on the grosser side. Eyeing the clock on the wall, he was thankful it wasn’t five in the morning. “We’re not blending these… right?”

Galo appeared mildly offended, holding his pan up. “Why would we blend pancakes? That’s gross! No nutritional value whatsoever!”

He breathed a sigh of relief, leaving Galo to create whatever a pancake was. As he moved back he eyed the stove and the lack of flames. “How are you cooking that?”

“It’s electric,” Galo replied, as though that would make any sense to Lio. “I wouldn’t be caught dead with a gas burner! Galo Thymos puts out fires, not starts them!”

He’d let Galo prattle on about his insane everyday oddities. Pulling back the wooden chair, he sat down at the very small dining table. The way his muscles flexed and stretched alongside louder sizzles not only burned his ears. “How did you know?”

“Hm?” Galo stopped to glance over his shoulder.

“You know …” It felt awkward to bring up. “Last night.”

“Oh! Because I’ve had them.” A loud click made Galo transport something steaming and golden brown onto a plate. “I think they call them night terrors?”

It was something he wished neither of them shared, frowning. “I’m sorry.”

“Nah, it’s all good. I rarely have them now.” Galo’s cheery voice eased away some of his own concern. From the magical stove did Galo whirl around with two plates of pancakes in hand. He finally took notice of the large bottle of brown as the centerpiece and a stick of butter. The plate of pancakes was placed down on either side as Galo sat across. “Hope you like it! I think I’m pretty good at these.”

He eyed the soft circles and opted to watch Galo first before attempting to eat them. “But yeah, my mom used to help me whenever I had one. So I just figured I’d do the same.”

Again, he conjured up the images of the two faceless entities that his mitten hands reached out towards. A lonesome sadness he quickly pushed away; he couldn’t feel sympathy for someone he could hardly remember. A change in topic was needed. “What do you know about Heris?”

“Hm?” Galo’s focus was primarily cutting a thin slice of butter with the dullest knife Lio had ever bare witness to. “Aina’s sis? She’s not so bad! Really loves her sister.”

The butter was placed back in the middle as he took it. He would have to look into getting Galo a proper set of knives; he would be laughed off the battlefield for wielding this sorry excuse. “What did she do under Kray’s employment?”

He knew he hit something when Galo stopped spreading the butter. His expression was conflicted, drumming fingers on the table. “You’re not going to like it.”

“I already don’t like it.” Lio only took a sliver of butter to place on his, eyes sharper than the knife he wielded. “Tell me.”

Even with his permission, he could blatantly see the struggle Galo had forcing it out. He gritted his teeth, setting down all his silverware. “She… experimented on the burnish. She was the head scientist behind the engine and using the promare to warp to another planet.”

Bracing himself for the worst wasn’t enough, sucking in a deep breath of air through his teeth. “I knew it.”

“It was a little hard to swallow at first.” Galo murmured. “I can’t really speak for her. All I know is what she told me, and she just wanted to save her sister from the world exploding.”

“Which, in turn, only sped up the process!” The table clattered when he nearly stabbed his knife into the table. Instead the poor thing bent at the tip.

Galo clenched his teeth at the impact, barking back. “But she helped us by overloading the engine! She may have done bad at first, but she came around in the end!”

“You don’t know that! And how many burnish did she sacrifice before coming to that conclusion?!”

“I don’t know!”

Lio snapped his mouth shut before any more flames could come searing out and metaphorically fry the table. Galo seemed equally pissed only to turn inward and at that moment his heart dropped. This wasn’t who he wanted to turn his anger to. “… I’m sorry.”

“I get why you’re pissed.” He tried listening with open ears as Galo picked back up his fork and knife. “But don’t do anything rash. You… have a habit of doing that.”

A soft smile and the gentleness of his tone at the end saved him from being roasted alive. He pointed the dull and bent edge of the blade over in his direction. “Who knows; I might turn into another dragon and torch this whole city.”

“If you do, I’ll have to deck you in the face again.” A brighter smile, one that he felt he could match.

His anger wasn’t meant for here, wanting to clear the air even more. He’d have time later on to lament. “So… you’ve never set a fire in your life?”

“Never, ever!” Galo swung his arms, shaking his head furiously. “Not even to light a candle on a birthday cake!”

Galo had spoken about this before. There was a fire, right? Another landmine to avoid. Galo was currently in the middle of pouring a thick load of the thick brown sauce over his pancakes. “That’s a bit impressive.”

“My track record was pretty clean! Until…” He pouted slightly.

Lio gained interest while he secured the brown bottle to pour his own, lighter drip. “Oh? Is the Great Galo Thymos having a rebellious streak? What caused you to break it?”

He cut himself a small piece with what was left of his knife as Galo’s voice grew funny. “When I had to ah… kiss you.”

Lio’s fork clattered to the table, face reddening. “You kissed me?!”

“You don’t remember?!” Galo chimed in, panic spreading with bright bursts of red. Lio slapped his hands over his cheeks, heart beating too fast as he tried to recall any moment Galo might have had the opportunity. Surely he would have remembered something like _that_.

“W-wait!” Galo shook his hands out when his glare turned to him. “It was after I got you out of the engine! You were disappearing and none of my EMT training was working! I remembered that you kissed that one girl to try and bring her back, so I took the fire you gave me and resurrected you!”

The anger was doused by the cold truth, left staring over with wide eyes. “What…?”

Galo’s expression hardened, angling down to his breakfast. “I… really thought I was going to lose you for a second. There wasn’t anything I could have done.”

Fingers delicately touched his lips and chair clattered to the ground as he rounded the table. It was his turn to embrace Galo, arms hugging his upper back while he buried his head between his neck. “Thank you.”

A grim horror tried settling in his heart, visions of his fingers turning to ashes in his nightmare. Yet they all fluttered away at Galo’s arms cradling him. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

The heat returned and much more the longer he let it sit. They sat back down and tried to pick up breakfast, but his appetite was lost.

They’d kissed once before, knowing for sure what he felt last night. Galo had changed the subject, something about a restaurant as he just stared at his soaked pancakes. The black of Galo’s shirt, what he’d been using as pajamas, spoke loudly.

He couldn’t deny what this was for much longer… and apparently Galo had already made up his mind on how he felt of him too.

~

“Order’s up!”

The cheery voice of the owner set the rest of Burning Rescue on alert, hands rubbed with eyes growing hungrier by the millisecond. Galo was the most excited of them all, nearly bouncing in his seat while Lio tried to retain some of his personal space.

He’d decided today on their day off to finally wear one of his bought ensembles; a short white dress shirt with a black vest and dress pants. How he’d forgotten to buy leather gloves was beyond him, feeling gross and unkempt touching anything with his bare hands. They felt too delicate for his liking. Ignis was the only one of the group to hang behind, more occupied with working on a laptop that seemed laughably small compared to his size.

Two steaming hot pies were set on the table by a large man with bags under his eyes but a bright disposition. Hands flew and scavenged, tearing pieces from every which way until only two slices remained on the silver platters. Galo was currently nursing two in either hand, halfway through one piece as his face melted and his eyebrows weakly drew up. “Soh gewd! Feels like years!”

“It’s only been two weeks,” Remi assured, more occupied with his tablet than enjoying the atmosphere.

“You all did a good job in cleaning up downtown,” Ignis spoke, looking briefly up from his work. “Go ahead and indulge for the afternoon.”

“Thanks captain!” Lio was mortified how fast the slice disappeared into Galo’s stuffed cheeks. He murmured thanks with the rest of the booming cast.

“I knew you’d come running when I flipped back that open sign.” The owner rested his hands on his hips, smiling proudly. “And for you saviors of the world, it’s on the house!”

“Our thanks,” Ignis calmly spoke.

“Thanks, pizza shop guy! I’m eating my weight in pizza!” Galo continued to smack and rip chunks off his last surviving slice.

Lio silently slipped in and grabbed his just as the last was snatched by Lucia and her freakishly sharp teeth. It oddly reminded him of breaks with Gueira and Meis, smilingly inward.

“…burnish…” Eyes snapped up to a stationed TV in the restaurant; the blond reporter with an image of crisp, modern buildings to her left. “…will be free to take up residency until they can be integrated back into normal society. Construction has begun and is estimated to begin receiving occupants within the next couple of months just before the winter snap. Newly appointed Governor Biar has made it her goal to eliminate the sudden increase of homeless in shelters and provide the necessary tools to both humans and burnish to be able to live and succeed in Promepolis. As stated in her quote, ‘We are one mind, one heart, one soul.’”

“Lio, you gotta try this!” Another slice of pizza blocked his vision, leaning back into his seat with his own slice used as a shield.

Galo was being extra annoying today, accounting it for the large slab of pancakes he devoured that morning. They were a little more than disappointing, but Galo just kept wolfing them down.

He sighed and began rolling his slice into a small bread roll, taking a bite in the middle. Galo screamed. “Wh-what are you doing?! That’s like, the worst possible way to eat a pizza!”

The rest of the group turned to watch Lio chew on his bite, all mirroring in some regards Galo’s shock. It was surprisingly good, albeit a little hot, swallowing. “It’s how burnish ate pizzas.”

“Really?! That’s sad; really, really sad!”

“Nope,” Mischievousness lighted his features, eyeing Galo in particular. “Even I know what a pizza is.”

He unfurled the slice, complete with a hole in the middle. The rest of the group seemed to catch onto the joke as Galo kept pouting. “Then why would you ruin such a perfectly good slice of pizza? Apologize to the owner right now!”

“Galo, he was joking.” Aina tried to explain the joke, but Galo thrust a hand outward.

“Pizzas aren’t for joking!”

The sudden fire and idiocy from Galo was unexpected, resonating with something inside him. He furled it back up and took another odd bite, eyeing Galo the entire time. “And what will you do if I don’t?”

“I’ll eat all the pizzas before you can ruin them!” Galo proclaimed, slamming a hand onto the table.

“What about us?” Lucia chimed in, but Lio could hardly pay attention when Galo was coming off this strong.

It burned delightfully within him, wanting more of this fire consuming him. “Will you now? That’s a tall order. You can’t even save this one.”

The fires were stoked in Galo’s eyes, Lio practically ready to shoot up from his seat and bound off. A game of cat and mouse, one they weren’t unfamiliar with.

“Um…” Another round of pizza was set on the table, calling forth the mad scrambling of Burning Rescue. Lio, however, sat back with his piece and gave the attention to the newcomer. A scrawny young man who’d set the pizza down. “You’re Lio Fotia?”

He nodded and took another bite of his rolled-up pizza. It tasted wrong, but he was committed at this point just to get a rile out of Galo.

A sense of relief washed over the worker. “I just… well… just thanks for all you did for us. I’d heard rumors about you but I never thought I’d see the day when we’d all be free.”

His face lightened, feeling a kindred spirit that was sorely missed. It was always nice to find another one of his kind. “It was nothing.”

As the worker turned to leave he noticed the dangling left sleeve. All warmth vanished for an icy cold, tone just as frozen. “What happened to your arm?”

Galo, for just a moment, stopped inhaling pizza to but in. “Hey, it’s the pizza guy! So great to—!”

Lio didn’t need to look to know Galo was coming to the same conclusion. The worker turned halfway, fear in his eyes. “I-It was nothing …”

“Bullshit!” Silverware clattered as Lio slammed his hands into the table when he rose. “It was Kray Foresight, wasn’t it? He hurt you like this!”

“Everything okay here?” The owner was starting to step in, hands held out between the worker in a feeble attempt to shield him.

The worker nudged his way out. “Please, I don’t want to go back there …”

“No, no you won’t ever again!” Horrid images of all those burning matchsticks plagued his thoughts, riled him beyond rationality. The thorns pricked and pierced, overtaking his consciousness. “Not you, not any other burnish! I’ll see to it!”

That same, gloved hand held his shoulder down, turning his head back in time to Galo moving away from the table. The worker flinched and the owner seemed skeptical, turning into surprise when Galo bowed his head low. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry for everything you had to go through. You deserved better than the way you were treated.”

All at once, Lio’s anger flushed back down his system, close to the little seeds they once sprouted from. He had no reason to apologize, yet here he was. Humility poured into him as he turned inward again, nearly ashamed he’d blown up so fast.

He sat back down and pulled out the lighter he’d stolen, mindlessly flicking it off and on. Aina and his eyes locked at the clicking but he merely continued, going back to staring at the fire. The rest of his composure poured back in from those little flames.

The owner stepped over; taking Galo’s hands and helping him back up. “Hey, hey, it’s not your fault. We’re all safe again, and that’s what matters.”

The worker offered up a small nod, still visibly upset. Galo clasped his one hand. “Please, if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Oh please, no…” The worker began, shoulders tensing as the owner slung an arm around him.

“No help needed here. I’ll be paying for his physical therapy and for his new prosthetic arm.”

“Boss!” The worker turned with wide eyes. “I couldn’t ask that.”

“If I can’t get you back in working order, who’s going to make my famous pizzas?” The owner nudged his hand into his chest, gently smiling. “We can still make your dream come true.”

It was enough to break the poor worker down into sobs, burying his face into the owner’s chest while the older man patted his back. It caused too much pain to stare at, focusing more on the orange glow in his hand. Such a familiar comfort…

He noticed Galo shift and snapped the box shut in time, stuffing it away just as Galo turned back. He didn’t like his gaze, almost as if he was studying every inch of him before it tapered off into a proud smile and a thumbs up. “Everything will work out.”

The merriment returned but it wasn’t the same for him. His hands felt itchy to roll the lighter, to go back to the fire. How many others had wound up like him? It sickened his stomach, waiting for the opportune moment when the party ended.

Galo had gone ahead to start up his ride as he gave a poor excuse of needing to use the restroom. Pencils were left on the table for the laminated menus, snatching one and a napkin. Instructions scrawled onto the middle, folding it up and making his way over to the worker, now working behind the counter.

“Here,” Lio slid the paper over the glass, only waiting for him to take it before turning away. “Tell any burnish you know.”

He heard the paper crumple and nothing else, the little bell on top of the door sounding as he made his exit.

In due time.


	5. Muted Voices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow me on twitter if you like my work! @Rinichey 
> 
> I'm going to try post little snippets of things that didn't make it in or sneak-peeks for upcoming chapters.

“Is it crucial that I have this?” Lio’s face scrunched at the small device in his hands. Nestled in between gloved fingers, the black screen reflected his green hair and skeptical gaze.

They didn’t have to clock in till the afternoon, but that didn’t mean he’d spend the entire morning moping around. So with some coaxing, he managed to get Galo to take him to buy some leather gloves before stopping here last. It’d been irritating him from the moment they socked Kray, now satisfied that a part of his constantly-thinking mind could rest. The leather felt like home, even if they went to his wrists instead of cutting off near the knuckles.

Galo’s ungloved hand cupped his, pressing something that sparked the screen to life. The time displayed on the top of the screen with a pretty picture of a blue, cloudy sky above a grassy hill.

“Everyone needs a smartphone! You can call or text people, which is the most important part.” His finger slid up the screen to reveal dozens of small, rounded cubes. “And if you get bored, there’s games to play!”

Lio still wasn’t impressed, setting the phone back down on its stand. “I guess this is what you used to communicate.”

“How did you keep in contact with your friends?” Galo hung back to lean on another display table. This small store specifically built for phone shopping was hardly busy, noticing the supposed ‘manager’ slipped off somewhere.

“Smoke signals, Morse code, having a safe spot to retreat to in case of failure.” It was all common sense to him, waving a hand off. “A group I ran with when I was a teen used radios, but that was as advanced as we got. Any phones that were brought with new initiates we threw out. Never know who could be tracking.”

Galo straightened. “So you’re not savvy with phones, but you know about bugs and tracking?”

Lio’s train of thought hiccupped. “I was warned about them when I first ran. It wasn’t until a few years ago someone finally explained to me the mechanics.”

“So you thought they were actual bugs?” Galo’s cat-like smile made it hard to hide his pride. He relented and loosened his pose, nodding his head. “No kidding! Then again, I thought of some pretty weird stuff as a kid.”

“With you, I can imagine.” Lio couldn’t hide his smile when Galo leaned in, that firefighter spirit of his shining so bright.

“Eh? You wanna say that again?”

“I bet you still have some illogical thoughts,” Lio added, hand sliding up the stall to regain some ground.

“At least I didn’t disfigure my soap with a razor.”

“At least I didn’t have a wall of Kray.”

“At least I open my cans with a can opener!”

“At least I don’t put dessert in my hair.”

Galo placed a hand by his shoulder, Lio realizing just how close they’d gotten. He was nearly on him for Christ’s sake, boxed in near faulty devices while a few people that had walked into the store eyed them skeptically. Galo didn’t have the plushest of lips, continuously wondering if they would feel as calloused as his hands if they were to brush against one another. Would he taste their breakfast, would he taste Galo?

Cheeks burned bright as Galo was still spouting nonsense, but God did that passion not also fire him up. “…Is great for my hair! You think I can just magically make my hair look this great? Takes time and effort and a burning soul!”

“ _Galo_ ,” Lio strained, managing to get the firefighter’s attention. He couldn’t breathe with his musk right in his face.

Yet the man only came closer, faces lingering. If he leaned any closer he’d have stolen his kiss, something that didn’t sound as exciting in a phone store. “You okay? You look all red.” His cool hand against his forehead drew a gasp. “Feel red too!”

“Galo!” He slapped his hand away and managed to pry himself free, taking a few steps away. He’d never been claustrophobic yet his mind couldn’t make up if they wanted Galo to smother him or be out the door.

Irritation settled in his chest while he protected it with his arms, fingers curling over his black shirt. “Lord, you’re so thick, aren’t you?”

“Hard work and a strict regime helped with that.” Galo pumped a gun but let it rest soon after. “But seriously, do we need to head back home?”

Not Galo’s home; home. _Their_ home. It sounded so nice when he said it, almost beckoning him back to his bedroom. Even his cruddy jokes were making him smile too much; trying to ruin the seriousness he tried to build. “I think this has gone on long enough.”

“What has?” Galo asked in that stupid, hearty voice of his.

“This back and forth we’ve been playing.” He gestured between them. “I know it. You certainly know it. I think it’s time we end this chase and…” The idea scared him a little, coming to terms with a part of him he’d neglected for so long. “Be honest with ourselves.”

The way Galo eyed him with that slight hint of insecurity hurt, wanting to move over and cradle his face, reassuring him things were okay. A phone store was not where he wanted to confess, but he couldn’t wait any longer. “Galo, I—!”

He almost bit his tongue when an obnoxious ringtone sounded off, Galo fiddling with his pockets. “Ah, one second Lio!”

Had the phone been in reach it would have been halfway across the store right now. All his anger pierced the black rectangle, Galo eyeing something on it and holding it to his ear. “Aina!”

Fingers strangled his sleeves, irritation rising the longer he had to sit and wait. “Can I call you back, I …oh, really! That’s great! We should celebrate! …Now? Yeah, he’s here… Okay, okay, we’ll see you soon!”

The phone was stashed away as Galo beamed. “We gotta head to the station right now, Lio! Someone wants to see you!”

He couldn’t fathom who, aside from a list of people that all wanted him dead. Galo’s cheery tone didn’t indicate any sort of threat, striding past him for the door. This was a stupid idea to begin with. “Fine.”

Galo soon caught up, holding the door for him. “Oh, what did you want to say earlier?”

He glanced back with a stoic expression, hiding his chest again. “Nothing.”

The only fool here was himself.

~

They weren’t to clock on for another hour, arriving to find district 3 scattered as usual. Remi doing some sort of inventory check, Varys in the middle of a nap on the one bed they had, and Lucia was typing away at her computer. Galo strutted in and said his usual greetings to the other members, who merely waved or gave an abbreviated call back. Lio stepped in his shadow and merely held a hand to each.

“Over here!” Off in the corner, sitting at the break table, was Aina and another individual who shared a heavy resemblance. Her hair was straight and cut short, thick glasses sitting on the edge of her nose as she wore a short-sleeved turtleneck and skinny pants. Bunched around her lower arms was what appeared to be a super cozy jacket that only reminded him of the slight chill of the well air-conditioned building.

The woman nursed one of the two hot drinks on the table as Aina got up and opened her chair to him. “Man, you weren’t kidding about being right over.”

“It’s a big moment!” Galo brushed past Aina and went straight for the taller woman. She yipped as he held out a hand. “Congratulations on your trial!”

That was the final key Lio needed to piece together the entire scene. The resemblance, the bookish nature, and finally a supposed trial. He didn’t need her to identify herself, _this_ was Heris.

With a quiet thanks, her eyes drifted away to lock onto his, surging the pent up anger that refused to stay still. “You must be Lio. I’m Heris.”

She made no show of getting up to shake hands or anything of the sort, a gesture he was fine forgoing. Galo’s hands were dropped as she offered the remaining cup. “Care to join me for some coffee?”

It was the last thing on his mind, but he quickly took into account his company. Galo and Aina were more than peachy; he didn’t want either of them breathing down his neck when he was this charged. He silently took the offer; sitting in the seat provided and simply eyed the drink. Heris picked up her cup with both hands to take the smallest sip possible.

“Well, you two have fun!” His heart skipped at Aina suddenly making an exit, tugging for Galo to do the same. “You too, big guy. Lucia wants to talk about your Matoi Tech.”

“Ooh, maybe an upgrade?” How easily distracted; not even putting up resistance or questioning the sudden odd act. His only two checks that kept him from exploding were leaving like half-off sales.

He had to let out a deep sigh just to try and simmer the flames. Heris’ once strained smile grew even more uncomfortable. “I know you probably don’t want to be here. I would feel the same myself, really.”

“Something we can agree on.” Lio didn’t care in the slightest how her smile fell, denying the urge to lean back and cross his leg. This wasn’t a relaxing cup of coffee and neither was he. “State your business.”

“I need your help.”

That alone should have prompted him to get up out of his chair and ignore the rest of what she had to offer. But he’d be lying about the underlying curiosity of what she had in store. “Get Aina to help you.”

“Aina…” She paused, pressing a finger to her lips. “She just wouldn’t understand the complications.”

“You’re doing something she’d be disappointed in.”

Heris tightened her grasp, mingling well with the sour mood he was in. “What I meant was she doesn’t have the knowledge you pertain. About the promare.”

This was more than infuriating. He rested, rather loudly, his elbows on the table, perching his head on the conjoined hands. “The promare are gone. They left back to their star. There’s no insight to gain from studying something that doesn’t exist in our dimension.” It pained him to even admit it, the cold wound deep in his chest reverberating for that heat.

“I know, I know,” Something about her voice convinced him she didn’t believe that, a doubt that made his skin prickle.

“You have proof otherwise?”

“…No.” Her hands slithered down from the cup to grasp the edges of the round table. Any foothold Heris might have thought she had was reduced to the girl hiding behind the table. Good. “I heard voices… during that moment when you and Galo were pounding the earth. Thoughts of wanting to light up… wanting to burn anything and everything.”

So that was her reason. It cut away the thorns, giving him some room to breathe in this otherwise suffocating situation. “The promare must have reached out to you. Had we not interfered, I don’t doubt you would have become a burnish yourself.”

“It was terrifying, so many voices.” Heris tucked her chin and for a moment Lio thought she’d start bawling. “But it was also breath-taking. So many lives, a sentient fire that never burned out. I’d never felt so warm.”

Her fascination set him on edge, pushing harder on his hands. “Was this all you wanted to talk about? A therapy session of nearly tasting the life of a burnish?”

He’d wished it was as she shook her head. “You’re the only person I can confide in, Lio. No one else would understand.”

Her leaning in made him back out of his perch, hands gripping the table. “I have… something I want you to see. With our combined knowledge, I’m sure we could figure this out.”

She sat back, retaking her cup with a newfound sense of purpose. The disgust couldn’t be pushed down any longer, managing to control at least his tone. “Had it not been for you, Kray would have never succeeded in his plans.”

That shine in her eyes died, face drooping as he continued. “I want no business with the woman who purposefully sacrificed innocent lives on the meager off-chance of saving one person than the millions that would perish.”

“I can understand your resentment, but I never intended to hurt any burnish.” In that brief moment, Lio didn’t regret not having the promare pumping through his veins. The table and part of the kitchen would have already gone nuclear. “I was working under duress. Had I known—!”

“ _Stop_.” Lio stood up promptly from his seat, gaze full of such hatred it shrunk her. “For someone who can only confide in me, you’re a terrible liar.”

This was the reason he was interrupted? He almost wanted to make Galo sleep on the couch for wasting his time this badly, leaving his seat without so much of a glance back. Thankfully, he didn’t hear the scraping noise of the chair or her voice call to him.

Galo and Aina drifted around Lucia’s station, but the third member with them was unexpected. “Meis?”

It got the attention of the group, Meis still wearing that ridiculous yellow vest. “Ey, boss. How was your date?”

The heated glare he shot withered Meis’ playful mood, dialing it back several notches. Instead, he focused that energy over to Galo, who angled his eyebrows. “Why am I getting the heat?”

“Where’s Gueira?” Lio wasn’t up for games, climbing the steps.

“He’s, uh, out on an errand.” Meis rested a hand on a part of the control panel that wasn’t littered with levers and buttons. Lio picked up the tone immediately. It was approaching fast.

“Liooo,” Lucia swiveled around her big chair, flashing that nasty grin of hers while her rat companion sat on her shoulder. “You never told me one of your generals was a mechanic.”

“I didn’t see a need to bring it up.” Lio and Meis flashed a quick exchange. When was the last time they had a moment to really sit and play with motorcycles that ran on oil and gas with tires that deflated? Their burnish counterparts never needed tune-ups or repairs. Still, one those rare days they were stressed beyond belief, it was pure bliss to listen to Meis find an old bike or magazine and go on and on about it for hours till the night waned.

“All self-taught, really.” Meis boasted a little.

“Maybe you can finally make your dream bike.” Lio slowly smiled, trying not to let Heris continue to ruin his mood.

Meis gave an exasperated sigh. “I already had that dream bike and now she’s gone. Gotta pour one out for Dallas.”

Lucia reached for an open bottle nearby and held it out as Meis continued to act dejected and poured the water straight down. Lio could indulge for just a moment, though he wasn’t about to repeat the same action. “Pour one out for Detroit as well.”

Instead of Lucia trying to get him to do just that, she merely cackled. Their shared, evil expression unnerved him. “What are you two planning?”

“Noooothing,” Their eyes rolled until they landed on each other, continuing to snicker. There was a plan there, a very clear and evident one, but he’d let them have their fun. He’d never seen Meis look so bright.

“What did Heris want?” But of course, he couldn’t revel in this shared moment of innocence. Aina was waiting for an answer, one that would surely upset her if he even tried to go into specifics.

Thankfully, the blaring siren of the station took everyone’s attention. FIRE ONGOING IN SECTOR 14.

“Burning Rescue!” Ignis’ command sent the rest in a hurried flurry to their lockers. Meis stood dumbfounded while Lio followed, glancing back momentarily while he gave a small thumbs up.

“Go get ‘em, boss!”

Just as he turned back he was faced with Ignis. “You stay here. Firefighters only.”

“Am I not?” Lio scoffed, yet he hardly wore the bright red uniform all of them sported. Just the jacket Galo had been letting him borrow whenever he stayed inside headquarters, but the three proudly displayed on the side was hardly earned. “I’ve been coming to work every day to help with cleanup.”

“That’s volunteer. You should know how dangerous fires are.” Again with the volunteer vs full-time work. Yet his other options would be to either stay with Meis, who no doubt would be called back to work any moment, or have more coffee with Heris.

“Captain!” Galo was by his side in a flash, pressing him against his side uncomfortably. “Please let him come! I’ll stay by his side!”

“You heard the captain.” Remi started sticking his nose in, urging Galo to the awaiting mobile where the rest were piling in.

“He knows how to hold his own in a fight!” A very heavy hand was forced into his stomach that nearly had him wheezing. “And he successfully kept Freeze Force off his tracks for months! Being the leader of the Mad Burnish makes him more than capable for any job!”

The resounding, unwavering praise, down to his terrorist title was making him fit to burst in bright red. It certainly made up for his ruined moment at the phone store, trying to stand as straight and as tall as Galo made him out to be.

It was nigh impossible to tell what Ignis was thinking underneath his heavy shades. But a sudden thrust of his thumb over his shoulder was a signal he was very much used to using. “You stay in the mobile and watch.”

“Thanks, captain!” As Galo pushed him over, they didn’t get far past Ignis before he added. “That’s an _order_ , Galo.”

The way Galo flinched said there was a story there that he didn’t care all too much to listen to. What Galo got up to with his coworkers wasn’t his problem. He was just thankful to come along, glancing over his shoulder to feel an icy chill.

Heris’ calculated eyes stared right at him. Whether she finished her drink or not, he kept staring back right until the large doors shut tight.

“You gotta challenge captain on everything?” A much deeper voice than his asked while the two of them maneuvered their way through the dimly lit room to their seats.

“Lio would make a great Firefighter, just like me! So he should have the same experience to watch.”

“I hid the cooling gel this time.” Lucia droned. Lio jerked back into his seat as the truck began moving towards the natural sunlight beyond the hangar. “I’m not babysitting two reckless idiots.”

The banter continued between Lucia and Galo, but Lio preferred to tune it out. All the praise steamed his head and vented through his ears, yet one little comment didn’t sit as well. Fishing through his pocket, he retrieved his little lighter, eyeing over to the boasting Galo and back to it.

_Burn…_

_Let me grow…_

_It feels good, doesn’t it?_

“Shut up…” He hissed under his breath, stashing the box back into his pocket. It even mimicked their voices. Nagging and biting, _just a little bit of fire_. He kept his breathing quiet until the truck stopped and Lucia’s grating voice spooked him out of his thoughts.

“The fire hasn’t spread to the other houses yet but it’s done a number to the framework. It’s too late to take any direct blasts without crashing the whole thing down.”

“Have Remi and Varys on either side to ensure the fire won’t spread. Aina is redirecting civilians and Galo, you’re coming with me on pistol.”

“No Matoi Tech this time?” Galo nearly whined only to be cut short by Ignis.

“It would tear half the house down with any hit.”

“Fine, fine.” Galo sprung out of his seat and nearly passed him by before stopping. “You better keep those screens on me, Lucia. Gotta have Lio learn from the best.”

“Considering the captain is with you, I’ll make extra sure.” Lucia snickered while she leaned over her chair to fist bump Remi and Varys. Their seats jerked as they swiveled back, something that caught Lio’s attention and held it until Galo shouted back.

“Be back soon! Galo Thymos out!”

_Finally._

He didn’t wait for a second longer once the door closed to retrieve his lighter, flicking it open and summoning back the bright red flame. Lost in the swaying oranges, memories warping his view to greens, purples, pinks, and blues. The sound of engines roaring in the distance; wanting to join in, _needing_ to join in. To grow. To _burn_. To—

The electronic shrill of a woman capped his lighter to stare bright-eyed at the monitor. A frantic woman could hardly hold herself together outside of the roaring blazes overtaking her home. Her bright red hair sparked another memory, pushing out of his seat over to the side doors.

“Hey, get back here!” But Lucia’s hand wasn’t faster than Lio, pushing the door open just as the heavy locks jutted out of the side of the door. He embraced the light and scrambled down, landing hard on the concrete and kept running.

“Aleta!”

The woman turned to Lio with a fresh pair of eyes, covering her hands over her mouth. “B-Boss?”

There were few redheads at a time in their convoy, hardly knowing who this person was. But they were burnish, and that’s all that mattered to him. Aleta’s frail hands grabbed his arms desperately, warbling through tears. “I-I don’t know what happened! I started the stove to make dinner, a-and next thing, flames are everywhere! Sh-she’s in there, Alena!”

The name hardly rang a bell, but knowing there was another trapped inside resonated deeply. Wasting energy staying to comfort her would only put the person in more danger. The roaring fire spewing out of the second story windows did not hold the same beauty and elegance of his flames. Uncontrollable, enraged.

He ran right through the main doorway.

It was clear Galo and Ignis used this entrance from the overabundance of ice structures, yet he didn’t choose to follow them up the cold stairs. He kept jogging down the hall, towards the unlicked flames that were feasting in the kitchen. “Alena!”

No screams or shouts back. The rising temperature was becoming uncomfortable, the thick smoke hanging overhead choking his lungs. He rested a hand on the wall to take a breather only to seize it back when a searing hot pain licked at his thumb. A floorboard from above fell with fire abundantly weighing it down, intensifying the heat.

This once brought a thrill to his mind, and he shuddered that it still did.

Turning down a black, smoky hall, he used his shirt to cover his mouth, eyes squinted to keep the soot out. None of this bothered him before, able to waltz through smoke and fire without feeling so much as wisps on his fingertips. Is this why humans felt so terrified of fire?

From the abundance of flames, he knew neither Galo nor Ignis had come through, coming close to a closed door. Even he knew going for the knob would have burned the skin right off his hand, he wasn’t that detached. A few heavy kicks had the door creaking and tearing off from the handle, pushing the door in. “Alena?”

“God?” The small, innocent voice back came from a ring of fire. Amongst burning toys and fading curtains sat a small girl, captivated by the dancing flames. There was no inkling of fear in her blank, mindless features.

Then, her eyes landed on him with newfound clarity and loudly gasped. “Boss! Have you come to play?”

Lio stepped carefully into the blazing room while the child launched into a coughing fit. “We need to leave.”

“But why?” Her eyes were watery yet she didn’t move, nearly pulling her legs up to the bed. “Mom left screaming, but she could do this too. I don’t understand why she got so scared.”

The child’s delusional words felt more horrifying than the fire around them. Stepping over a few melting ducks, he managed to scoop the child close to his chest, trying to keep his voice calm. “We’re not burnish anymore. This fire can hurt us.”

“But mom made this fire.” Alena wrapped her weak arms around his neck. “I saw her do it. She looked so happy.”

His stomach kept dropping with every word, turning back to the door just as the ceiling creaked. Alena screamed as a large section of the upper floor crashed down near the doorway, intensifying the heat as smoke poured in. “Boss!”

He pressed her head into his jacket, the only thing he could do to protect her as everywhere he looked was the same bright colors of the sun.

_Burn, burn, burn!_

The voices came rushing back in, inhaling sharply to get a lungful of smoke. He coughed and staggered, able to keep his balance as the fire called out to him.

_It feels so good!_

_We want to burn brighter! Stronger!_

They flooded his mind, something euphoric about all of this. It did feel good… didn’t it. Simply watching the flames dance and destroy anything it came in contact with; it was no less dangerous than his own.

Maybe… if he just reached out…

White shots arched through the hole above to erupt in pillars of ice. The doorway was quickly put out as were the surrounding fire entrapping them, snapping Lio out of his trance.

“Lio!” He turned his head up to Galo above, unable to tell if he was enraged or mortified. Alena was heavier in his arms and his balance failed him, everything going pitch black as the last thing he focused on was Galo screaming something with a gloved hand reaching out.


	6. Isolation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like my work, you can check out my twitter! @Rinichey
> 
> I try to update every day with little tidbits about things I'm working on!

“What were you thinking?” Galo tried to keep some semblance of composure, but ultimately failing. The house was still thankfully standing as they allowed the automatic fire hydrants nearby to take care of the rest.

The poor mother and child were huddled on the street corner with blankets, yet only the child seemed concerned for her mother. Lio, on the other hand, stayed closed off in body language and how he wrapped the blanket around him. He breathed through a portable oxygen tank. Soot discolored his face and the ends of his hair.

“That fire could have killed you! You’re not burnish anymore, Lio!” A hard glare shot his way but he gritted his teeth. “Not this time. You can’t just do whatever you want.”

“I was saving a life.” He finally peeled away the oxygen mask a few inches away. His voice was raspy and hoarse, soon welcomed by a fit of coughs. When he tried to reach around to pat his back Lio smacked it away. “Are you really trying to lecture me that you wouldn’t have done the same?”

“Hell no!” Lio’s stance opened just a smidge, taken off guard. “But that’s supposed to be my job. I’m the world’s #1 idiot firefighter, remember? You’re supposed to be the smart one, the leader who figures out a plan!”

“So it’s okay for you to risk your life on dumb decisions?” Lio snapped, but his anger merely sputtered at another coughing fit. The mask was reapplied as he took a few more deep breaths. “And what’s a leader to you?”

“A leader is someone who looks out for their people! Who makes sure everyone gets out alive and always has an idea!” As excited as he was getting, he paused for a moment when Lio’s glare didn’t loosen. “I’ve seen you at your best and your worst. Maybe you felt the firefighter spirit calling to you, but you can’t just rush into situations without anything. Can you promise me you won’t do that again unless I’m with you?”

The moment he got the panicked message from Lucia that Lio ran right into the house sent him into a frenzy. One that nearly had him falling through a loose floorboard trying to find him. He’d never felt more relieved and upset when he did find him, trapped and nearly roasted alive.

Lio dropped his mask again, rubbing away some of the soot over his cheeks. “I’m not incapable just because I don’t have the Promare any longer.”

Galo furrowed his eyebrows. “I didn’t say that. I said—!”

“I know how to handle myself.”

“And how were you handling yourself back there?” Anger was getting to him, pointing sharply to the dampened, barely standing house. “You were trapped! Just admit you let your anger get to you and you messed up!”

The blanket was thrown back as Lio suddenly rose, not nearly reaching his height, yet the searing anger more than made up for it. “Saving Alena was not a mess up! I wasn’t some crazed, enraged monster in there!”

“And how were you planning to save her?” Galo eased up, crossing his arms. “Because the way I saw it, you two were nearly dead! The only times you screw up this badly is whenever you’re pissed off!”

“Is that how you think of me?” The sheer cold of his voice snapped Galo awake. Lio was trembling. “That whatever I do that doesn’t make sense is only because I’m throwing a temper tantrum?”

Galo stood his ground, having to force the words out. “You haven’t disappointed me yet.”

As soon as the words left, Galo immediately regretted ever saying them. The hurt intensifying in Lio’s eyes only made it that much worse.

“Galo!” He snapped to attention at Ignis walking over. He could tell from the sheer tone that anything he said wouldn’t be good. “Regroup with the others.”

A simple nod got Ignis off his back. “Lio, I—”

The blanket was thrown into his face, reeking of soot as he fumbled with trying to remove it. “Your boss said jump. Get to it.”

He threw the blanket to see Lio sitting back on the sidewalk, continuing to steady his breathing. Everything about his stance said they were done but he crouched down. “We are not done here.”

“Yes, we are.” Lio wasn’t even looking at him now.

“Galo!” He flinched, knowing the inflictions could only get worse. He almost wanted to snap back for Ignis to wait, but it was becoming clearer that this wouldn’t be solved so quickly.

He stood up, turned away and merely paused for too long before kneeling and taking one of Lio’s wrists. “I’m sorry.” Finally, his eyes flickered back over, still raw with hurt, but it was a start. “I’m going to make up for this.”

For a man so powerful, able to take on the world and raise hell, his wrists were so delicate. He had to tell himself to let go as he hurried off to meet up with the rest.

“… should have known he’d run off!”

“I thought he’d be more rational!”

“Do you still believe that?”

“What, you wanted me to chase after him?”

Remi and Lucia were bickering back and forth with Varys caught in the middle. Aina seemed equally as upset from the insistent noise when she caught a glance of Galo jogging over. “There he is.”

“Sorry for the holdup.” The circle turned outward as he took his place, forcing a small smile. “Had to make sure Lio was alright.”

“I’m sure he’s feeling like a bonafide hero.” Remi seemed hardly convinced what he’d said, retrieving his tablet from a small holster on his belt.

Just in time, Ignis stepped in. “Let’s go over the report.”

“Of the two occupants residing in the household at the time, both were rescued with minor injuries.” Remi began, no doubt reading over the report he’d been typing up since the incident. “The fire was contained and extinguished. Major damage was done to the house, but considering how long the fire had been burning there was nothing we could have done to correct that. Overall, a stellar performance from everyone.”

“I felt I didn’t do much,” Varys rubbed the back of his neck. “Kind of just stood around.”

“I only told an elderly couple walking by to turn around.” Aina seemed equally depressed, sighing.

“Your expertise wasn’t needed, but you both were ready if need be, and that’s what’s important.” Remi finally looked up from his tablet with a kinder smile.

“Have you talked to both victims?” Ignis asked, to which Remi gave a slight smirk.

“All taken care of, captain.” He scrolled a finger up his tablet. “Ms. Shusway recounts starting her stove, the initial focal point of the fire, to grill some hamburgers for dinner. This was around 4:00 PM. After which, she states that the house was on fire with no recollection of how it had happened. We were alerted to the fire at 5:00 PM, an entire hour for the fire to grow.”

“So she just blacked out?” Aina threw in. “Did she wake up on the ground or have any bruises?”

“Negative. The victim was standing the entire time.”

“How does that work?” Galo tried scratching his head, as though that would magically have the answer come to him. Crayon drawings popped up of the woman standing next to the stove. “Maybeeee she got scared by something!” A black, crudely drawn circle jutted down in front of the stove. “And she couldn’t take her eyes off it in fear of it attacking her!” The scribbles for fire kept growing and growing until the woman turned and ran. “But by that point, it was too late!”

“Are you hearing yourself?” Lucia popped his crayon world.

“We’ll have to chalk it up to being an accident.” Ignis stepped into the conversation. “Sometimes our fights won’t be as dangerous as burnish raids, but treat every situation with the same amount of importance.”

“Buut,” Galo couldn’t help but throw out, still feeling the buzz in his bones go to waste. “They aren’t nearly as exciting.”

“Adrenaline junkie, much?” Again, Lucia threw whatever just came first to her mind, seemingly bored of the conversation by this point.

Usually, the reports ended there but Ignis didn’t break. “Onto the matter of Lio.”

“Captain, with all due respect,” Remi began in a tone Galo knew too well for delivering blunt facts. “After that near-fatal catastrophe, I don’t believe he should be permitted back to Headquarters, volunteer or not.”

“Hey, Remi!” He shot Galo a more reserved but stoic gaze, finger frozen midair from taking notes. Through stature alone, Remi could be as stubborn of a wall as Ignis. “We can’t kick him off the team! He’s been doing a good job cleaning up the city!”

“He’s always been a reckless cannon.” Lucia folded her arms behind her head, looking equally disappointed to be throwing her input. “You might talk big, but even you whine and beg for permission first.”

“You too, Lucia?” Galo turned with arms spread, but Lucia seemed just as closed off with a mixed expression.

“Captain!” He tried pleading to the source as Ignis’ hand shot up.

“I gave him an order, Galo, and he disobeyed it, putting both himself and the child at risk.”

“But I found them, they’re both safe!”

“And if Lio had managed to get out of the room and run deeper into the fire before you did?” Ignis’ stare down zipped Galo’s lips. “He has no firefighter training and had no right running into that house, endangering the lives around him. That alone makes him untrustworthy.”

“Captain,” Aina was the one to hesitantly step forward. “I understand what you’re saying and I wholeheartedly agree.”

It felt like the group was weighing heavily on Galo’s shoulders, outnumbered in every sense. How would he return to Lio like this? Defending something even he didn’t agree with.

Aina bit her lower lip. “But… I think a permanent suspension isn’t the solution.” And just like that, the little spark of hope returned. “Haven’t we all had the call to risk our lives and save others, even when we don’t have the proper training? Isn’t that why we sought to find said training so that we could better ourselves and the lives we save on a daily basis?”

“Are you arguing what he did was just?” Remi was typing madly on his tablet.

“No, but we all know clear as day he wants to save people. He put his life on the line countless times to rescue burnish from the very horrors we didn’t know we were subjecting them to.”

Galo ran across the circle to slung his arm around her and elicit a yelp. “Yeah, what Aina said! Please don’t fire him, Captain!”

“He’s not even employed.” Remi restated.

All eyes fell to Ignis. Galo was worrying his lip, ready to go into another round after Aina’s rousing speech. “…Two-week suspension. But he’s permanently banned from tagging along to any missions.”

It was like the bell at the pizza shop ringing for his order. He squeezed tightly onto Aina and pumped a gallant fist into the air. “Yes! Thank you, Captain!”

Lio needed to know this, not even waiting for dismissal before rushing back over. “Lio!”

His gaze was still sharp as he leaned back, oxygen tank placed by his side. “Good news; you’re suspended for two weeks!”

Lio’s gaze sharpened, shifting his posture to pull his knee up. “ _How_ is that good news?”

“Because Aina and I saved you from being permanently suspended!” Somehow, that tidbit of information didn’t ease any of Lio’s rolling rage.

~

It’d been a while since Galo had the evening shift, but then again the last several weeks had been chaotic. Ignis had just clocked off for the night but the blaring lights of the station stayed on. Hums of Lucia’s giant mainframe kept a certain buzz in the air even through the clacking of buttons.

Lio had completely clammed up since the fire, not even staying soon after they arrived back at the station. The way he gazed at him felt the same through his chipped helmet with a fiery burnish sword between them.

“Haven’t seen you do that in a while.” Aina’s voice distracted him with two hot cups of coffee in hand.

“Do what?” Galo usually crossed his arms, but it wasn’t until Aina sat and pointed downward that he saw his knee jittering. “Oh.”

It slowed, but then the energy just crawled back up, making his arms restless. A few more bounces shouldn’t hurt. Aina held out the second mug. “You heard from Lio?”

“Nah, doesn’t even have a phone.” Thinking back, he shouldn’t have left the store without supplying him one. “He’s probably back at home, taking a bath. That’s what I do when I’m upset.”

A bath sounded heavenly, even the tub was graciously spacious here, but the jittering of his knee kept him in place. Aina tried to get as comfortable as she could, sliding one leg over the other. “Lio’s still living with you?”

“Yeah, but that’s fine! My house is spacious enough as is and he doesn’t mind sleeping on the couch.” Another push of the mug finally got Galo to take it. Though the thought and smell of it sickened his stomach for some reason.

“Has he been looking for another place?”

“Dunno!”

“Sounds like the ideal living situation.” Lucia’s snickered behind her chair. “Just gotta migrate him to your bed.”

Galo perked, bending back over the couch to stare at the upside-down chair. “Oh, we did sleep together.”

“What?” Aina sat up so fast her coffee nearly spilled into her lap as Lucia spun around in her chair, rubbing her hands gleefully.

“Finally, juicy details! Can’t squirm out of this!”

He refocused his worldview with a proud smile. “He was having a rough night, so I let him sleep in my bed.”

“And then you two—”

Lucia was cut off by the sudden thrust of Aina’s hand back, speaking over her. “Oh! So you just _shared_ a bed! That’s all?”

“Yup! I think I did a pretty good job handling it.” Why Aina looked so gleeful and Lucia so bummed was beyond him.

“Bummer,” With a tug of her goggles down, the chair swiveled around as the sound of clacking returned. “Come back when you actually got a story.”

“That’s our Galo though, always helping people.” Aina relaxed back onto the couch, taking a longer sip than usual of her coffee. As she set it down her eyebrows bunched. “But… who is helping Galo?”

“Me? What do I need help with?” He set his coffee on the nearby table and pointed to himself.

“I mean… are you okay?” She set both feet on the ground, leaning slightly forward. “Not just today. About… everything?”

Everything surmounted to his entire life being jostled around in his brain, trying to even begin to unpack it. “Uh, I mean, there’s different things I feel about _everything_.”

“She’s asking about the world nearly exploding.” Lucia seemed exasperated to turn back around, legs crossed in her chair. “And your idol being a psychopath.”

“Not in that tone.” Aina scolded but Lucia merely shrugged with a poke of her tongue.

Galo’s knee stopped bouncing. All his energy flushed out of his system for a cold emptiness that he hardly experienced before. “I haven’t… thought about it much. Taking care of Lio has kept me busy.”

“I was afraid of that.” Aina sighed, already halfway through drinking her coffee. The only time he saw her down it so fast was when she was preparing for something stressful. “Have you had any time to process the situation?”

A quick relapse of the mortal shock of stepping into his home to his wall of achievements and Kray knocked what little wind he had left in his sails. That night was particularly rough, unable to sleep well with the constant mantra of Kray’s friendly foresight playing in his head. But then the morning came, waking up to Lio stabbing his can with a knife and using his razor to shear off some soap and suddenly the clinging emotions let go.

“I mean, what’s the problem if I don’t?” He spat in a tone he found disgusting, regaining the jittering in his knee. “Isn’t it better if I keep my head high and focus on the now?”

“I mean, yes,” Aina awkwardly cocked her head. “But you can’t heal what you haven’t discovered is hurt or wounded.”

“You were so annoying when you first joined.” Lucia’s droning tone hardly soothed his soul, sitting back in her chair while circling her finger. “Kray this, Kray that; Kray might as well have been your boyfriend.”

His stomach churned. “I bet you’re happy I shut up about it.”

“Totally!” Lucia dropped her hand to pull up one of her lenses. “But Aina’s right. So go makeup with Lio and cry on his shoulder or something.”

“Or, or!” Aina interjected. “We can talk about it right now. You let us be vulnerable with you,” A hand slid over his arm, Aina leaning in his direction. The slight shimmer in her eyes from the overcast heightened just how worried she was and in turn, forced his arms off his chest. “Be vulnerable with us.”

He knew them well enough that they both cared. How easy it would have been to just open his heart like everything else. Yet the moment he lingered on just the name alone, something shut inside him. His stomach clenched, shaking his head. “I might need a moment. Or two… maybe a day.”

This wasn’t like him as a ruckus snapped his thoughts away. He searched for the noise until he landed on his tapping foot. “Oh.”

Aina leaned away to rest on the couch, retrieving her mug. “We’ll be here when you’re ready. Just… don’t push it away when it comes.”

He couldn’t possibly do that, but Aina meant well all the same.

Downing the rest of her coffee, Aina let it rest on her lap. The tapping of her fingers almost matched the bouncing of his foot. “There’s something about Lio I’ve been meaning to bring up.”

“About today?” He started to frown, a little worried he’d have to hear some more about the fight.

“I’ve been thinking about it since that fire.” She stared hard into her mug, almost as though she was hoping to summon more. “I think that woman was ex-burnish.”

“You didn’t know?” Lucia crossed her legs with a seemingly innocent gaze. “I thought we all knew.” Aina and Galo’s shared confusion helped loosen Lucia’s lips. “Lio called the woman’s name when he escaped.”

“So that’s why he ran in.” Aina switched from drinking her empty mug to biting on her thumb.

“Burnish or not, I think Lio would have done something anyway,” Galo stated, pumping a fist into his open palm. “He’s got that burning soul and everything.”

Somehow, that declaration didn’t lighten Aina’s spirits. “That day, at the pizza parlor, I noticed Lio playing with a lighter.”

His fist loosened, hands falling to his lap as his skin crawled. The small word felt insurmountably big. “I’d never buy him one.”

“He got it somewhere.” She mimicked the rolling of her thumb a few times. “He wouldn’t stop staring at it. Flicking it on and off.”

A small flame clicking cast large shadows over Galo, knee bouncing horribly. Lucia sat up, hands at the edge of her seat. “Funny you mention that! He was playing with it in the mobile.” Her eyes flickered over to Galo. “Right after _you_ left. I thought he was going to burn his hair off.”

His chest was growing too uncomfortably warm, voice clipped. “Lio didn’t start that fire.”

He only realized how wayward his thoughts had gone after Aina and Lucia gave him a pitiful look. “W-what I mean is Lio wouldn’t start any fires!”

“We’re not saying that,” Aina ignored Lucia’s clear, _I’m not,_ to keep her focus on Galo. “But I think there’s something we’re missing here. Lio lived with his…” She was grasping for the word, Galo letting her feel it out. “Sentient flames… for a while. I bet he’s missing them, or, craving that same feeling.”

“Between us, I think the fire was intentional.” Apparently the conversation pulled at Lucia enough to use the tips of her feet to roll herself over.

The idea suddenly had Galo seeing red. His voice snapped and made the two flinch. “She left her child in there! I don’t believe for a second she’d start that fire, fully knowing her daughter was still trapped inside!”

“Galo,” Aina’s voice grew so soft, eyes wide as if she finally understood where the anger was coming from.

But he was already up and down the small flight of stairs to the rest of the empty firehouse. Sitting was doing him no good, he needed some exercise. A few laps around the perimeter of the building didn’t settle the sudden rush of energy and frustration. Nor did a few reps of pushups and sit-ups, or chin-ups at the little gym they’d manually put together as a team.

Aina and Lucia left him alone for the rest of their graveyard shift, sometimes hearing them bicker over what was said or what they thought. He wouldn’t dare think so lowly of someone like that.

The drive home was cold and long, shutting the door quietly as his voice echoed. “I’m home.”

A shuffle from the couch, footsteps, or Lio’s voice wasn’t what he heard. He placed his boots down and stepped in further. “Lio?”

The silence of the walls greeted him back. He checked the couch, rasped on the bathroom door only for it to creak open and even checked the kitchen for any notes. His bedroom was the last check but his bed was made, by Lio no less, since this morning. Maybe… he hadn’t come home yet.

Faint, panging loneliness stuck in his chest, focusing on the spot where he’d left him days ago after his night terror. He could imagine his lean but small frame still cuddled against his pillow with the blanket up to his shoulder.

He hadn’t felt this way since Kray got him that job at Burning Rescue.

The sudden thought of his name dug a deeper hole, one that still freshly bled. The light was flipped as he mechanically moved to his closet, opening the door. There they all were, framed pictures he’d had proudly hung on his wall and talked for hours on end to anyone who would listen.

He gingerly fished out a diploma for a certificate he’d won as a teenager, signed at the bottom by Kray.

_“I’ll save you too!”_

Teeth grit, he flung the picture with a loud yell directly at his wall and shattered the glass. The snap of the frame breaking in two snapped him awake, eyeing the clear scratch mark on his wall down to the shower of glass covering his released certificate.

He took a large step forward, then backtracked and left his room for the hand-vacuum he kept in the hall closet. The frame was set into a newly unsheathed trash bag, with certificate plucked and dragged cleanly out to set on the bed. The rest of the glass was sucked away by the vacuum and deposited into the trash bag, knotted and sealed.

Nothing about that felt good.

Grasping the certificate, he merely stared at Kray’s signature and let it flutter back into the closet, shutting it again. Another day. Right now he needed to be ready for when Lio arrived back.

Lights off, door closed, he settled into his kitchen chair and stared at the front door. The clock on the wall had already moved past midnight. Would he be hungry when he got home? Would he appreciate a drawn, hot bath? Or a fresh, out-of-the-dryer nightshirt to cuddle up in?

Such lovely thoughts warmed his heart, focusing in on Lio’s smile. He’d make sure when he arrived it would be to open arms and ears willing to listen. This spat wouldn’t be the end of them.

A confused look spread across his face. The end of… what? It was hard to pinpoint why he thought that way or what a fight would end. They were friends and friends didn’t stop being friends over not friendly things. But somehow that term didn’t apply neatly when he thought of Lio.

The minutes ticked on in silence, Galo sitting straight up with a smile. Any minute now. Patience was never his virtue but he’d be good for Lio. Yet his back began to slouch, his smile was being held up with a deepening worry. The ticking of the clock was like wood pecks to his head, and he kept staring at the clock every minute.

Something felt wrong. But with every urge to get up and run out the door and scour the city, he lingered on that one of Lio being unable to get into the house. Of him having to wait at his door, rejected and alone. It kept him in his seat, foot jack-hammering the ground. He really should have gotten him a phone.

Eventually, sometime during his wait, he’d managed to slouch enough that his arms draped over the table for a make-shift pillow. He awoke with a startle at a faint click, one that sparked a horrid memory. He sat straight up and nearly fell out of his chair. “Lio?”

Everything came crashing down at once. That he distinctly remembered locking the door when he came into his home. That it was well past three in the morning. That he could hear the rev of an engine tailing off into the distance.

Where Lio’s distinctive magenta flames should have been was simply a small red and orange glow out of his clenched, gloved fist. Pink eyes were hardened but surprised to see him as much as he was to see him. This was not the Lio Fotia he’d been expecting.

Gone were the pressed vest and dress slacks. The glimmer of belts all over his body with that fluffed cravat spilling out from his leather jacket were all he needed to see. This was Lio, leader of the Mad Burnish.


	7. Cleaved Perspectives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I got a curious cat now! Head on over if you want to ask me any questions about anything! https://curiouscat.me/Rinichey
> 
> Update: We got a few new tags and an updated summary that is shaped more in line for what I have in store.

Lio had nothing to say to Galo. Nothing that wouldn’t end with irreparable damage to both their psyches. The most reckless firefighter telling him, Lio Fotia, how to act in a perilous situation? To actively spit in his face that all his dumb decisions were because of his anger?

The drive back to Headquarters reeked of tension and awkwardness, not a conversation to be found anywhere. Galo had tried poking him a few times to open up, bite onto the hook he was feeding but neither tactic worked.

He was being a child for this immature behavior, but for just a moment he wanted Galo to really think hard on what he’d said.

The worst part about it all was in hindsight, he knew Galo was right. Had Meis or Gueira charged in without command he’d be in Galo’s spot for their reckless behavior. They no longer had the means to combat other fire; they were truly human. Three times, he felt it on his lips to apologize, but then Galo kept saying all the wrong stuff and here they were.

Idiot.

The air felt stale the longer he had to sit in dark silence until the massive door slid back and escape was an option. He was the first one out, boots stomping on impact to briskly walk away. Meis, miraculously, was still here, lounging on a couch with a few paper airplanes scattered nearby. “Boss! How di—”

“We’re leaving.” Lio’s tone came out far too strict, reminded that this wasn’t the heat of battle and he wasn’t calling for a retreat. “Are you heading out soon?”

Meis sprung up all the same, a cautious glance was thrown back to Burning Rescue. “Just about to.”

Meis knew when and when not to ask questions in certain situations, ever so thankful this was one of those times. For a split second, he contemplated telling Galo where he was going and just as quickly shut it away. Galo was an adult, as was he. He didn’t need his permission to go elsewhere.

The air still had a nip to it thanks to Father Winter and Lio tightly drew his jacket only for the bright red to catch his eye. How long had he been borrowing Galo’s firefighter jacket? It was oversized and nearly swallowed his knees, but how warm it was always made him reach for it. He wanted to throw it up and let Father Winter have fun with it, but the cold won out and he kept tugging it in.

The lighter fit naturally in his hand as he snapped it open, missing the way the roller fit around his thumb. But the fire didn’t bring his calmness, eyeing the distrusting flames.

Another snap had him eyeing the black lighter Meis had pulled out, cigarette in hand only to draw it away and lift it to his lips. He fished around in his pocket for a carton box with more inside. “Light?”

Lio eyed the cigarette and shook his head. He wouldn’t judge Meis for his habits, but he wouldn’t partake in them. Meis shrugged as though it were his loss and inhaled, letting the smoke waft from his lips. “How bad was it?”

“Two-week suspension.”

Meis inhaled too deeply but caught himself from a coughing fit. The smoke fizzled out in clumps. “For what?”

“Running into a burning building.” He kept his lighter out but clenched shut, just wanting to know where it was. “It was a burnish family. The daughter thought it was all normal.”

“Shit,” Meis let his cigarette fall with his hand, eyeing anyone back who gave them a funny stare while they walked down the sidewalk. “Kids that turn that young…”

Lio just nodded, steeling himself for what he wanted next. “Report.”

“We’re still trying to get a roster down. Our leads are strained and some have just vanished after that first night.”

It made sense to Lio. Staying within the city of the Governor who tried murdering them still set him on edge. “And the homeless shelters?”

“Full.” Meis gritted the word out. “Shit, too. You can practically see the divide. Even the homeless don’t wanna play with us.”

It didn’t lessen his sour frown, making as many notes to remember later. “Any casualties?”

“None so far, as far as I’m aware.” Meis took another drag, either to stall and think or that he also needed to calm his nerves. “Our reputation keeps most civilians from enacting _justice_ , but I don’t know how long that’ll last. There’s still a lot of brainwashed people thinking Kray was a hero.”

“Being broken up into divisions doesn’t help. Makes us weaker.” Despite trying to argue a case, the ruined remains of the Parnassus was off-limits. The city will have to dismantle the ship to repair what was lost, and for safety reasons, it was best to keep anyone from establishing a home inside. Lio understood the precautions, but at least there they had apartments and abandoned residential areas his people could stay in until things settled.

He felt as much the cattle Kray set them out to be; shoved and pushed wherever society dictated they should be.

Lio took a moment to just linger on the news. “Did you hear of the burnish apartments?”

Meis eyed down from his light, having gotten through a third of it already. “Yeah, been broadcasted everywhere. They promise any and all burnish who are eligible for residency will get free meal tickets, appointments with doctors, therapists, job coordinators, and three months free of rent until they can become officially employed citizens.”

Lio scoffed at the long list. “Do they also get three square meals and a bed for every person?”

“Right?” Meis smiled as he tilted his head up to let the smoke waft naturally. “You can promise a lot when you’re trying to get public approval.”

It sickened Lio’s stomach. “They don’t care about us. If they can exploit us, they always will.”

“That said,” Lio gazed up from his hard stare at the ground to finally notice Meis had put his hair up. The messy bun wasn’t unfamiliar, watching him blow a ring to then drop his cigarette and crush it under his heel. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea.” He continued just as Lio got that look that told his generals he was about to retaliate. “Listen, I’m not saying they’re going to follow through on everything they promise. I might as well eat literal shit if they’re going to feed me that. But it’d keep all of us together, in one location.”

Lio wasn’t exactly following how great his plan sounded. “All in one convenient place for any raids or attacks.”

“The world ain’t like that.”

Lio gawked. “Am I speaking to Meis? Or is this some new tactic by Freeze Force?”

Meis wasn’t laughing and neither was he. His hard, experienced stare was a rare moment Lio remembered Meis was far older than he. “As things are right now, I don’t think anything will change. We need to not only convince the outside world we’re not crazed arsonists, but we need to convince ourselves that.”

“ _Ourselves_?” Lio venomously spat only to shut his lips. Meis was just as important, opinion and all, and he would give him that respect.

Meis nodded firmly. “Shoving us back into society, pretending we didn’t just go through hell and back isn’t right. Our people need opportunities, hope. Just… think about it.”

It was a lot to swallow, a side he hadn’t considered. But Meis wouldn’t let him stew for too long with an elbow to his. “We got your back, Lio.”

His name was surreal on Meis’ tongue. He pocketed his lighter as Meis shined down with that lax smile of his. How could he not return some semblance of one, holding out a fist that Meis fist-bumped. “Same.”

A speeding large-object flew by only to sharply turn near the end of the sidewalk. He knew that reckless driving anywhere and the outfit was a dead giveaway. Gueira pulled off his helmet with a big, cheesy grin. “You two trying to ditch me? Nice try, but you can’t shake me that easily!”

“Boss is having a rough morning.” A firmer pat to his back pushed Lio forward. “I’m taking him somewhere to eat.” That certainly wasn’t what they agreed upon. “It was _supposed_ to be a surprise.”

“So you were trying to ditch me.” Gueira always got that look in his eyes that nearly rivaled the one Galo got whenever pizza was slammed on the table. “I should make you walk, but I happen to got a present with me.”

Now his generals were just spoiling him, feeling the faint crawl of pink spread across his cheeks at their loud-mouthed attraction. He hurried over to the beat-up cycle. “Where did you get this?”

“An old friend.” Gueira didn’t let up on his smile. “Hop on, boss! Meis is treating!”

The bike wasn’t nearly big enough for all three, so of course, both of them warbled until he took the seat. It was drastically different than any burnish bike; he felt every rock and stone the bike rolled over, the hum and vibrations every time Gueira gave it a little bit of gas, and the hot exhaust air steam the sides of his legs. Meis led the way while Gueira paddled with his feet as Lio merely listened to the two snicker and bicker.

What Lio had with Gueira and Meis was nothing short of kindred, but the way the two conversed and knew which buttons to push, he could plainly see the years of tight chains forged between them.

The location Meis had in mind was in a less ritzy part of town, a street of family-run businesses who couldn’t afford the sleek, modern designs of today. To him, it felt like home in some regards. Loud music was playing with instruments he hadn’t heard, with colorful streamers up high. Guitars of all kinds were hung proudly around the walls, and Lio had an itch he hadn’t felt in years to pluck one off and tune it.

“You ever have Mexican?” Meis asked once they slipped into their booth. Menus were distributed, with Lio mirroring his usual curiosity at all the foreign foods listed. “It doesn’t beat back home but this is a pretty good spot.”

“Mexican’s okay,” Gueira threw in, letting his large, laminated menu sit on the table. “You eat it once and it all tastes the same.”

“Taco Bell is not Mexican.” Meis sneered, clearly offended. “You can’t say you’ve had it.”

“Then why can I get tacos and burritos there, hm?” Meis’ menu was slapped in front of Gueira’s almost cat-like smirk. He let the two battle with their menus as he overlooked his, trying to make heads or tails of what he wanted. Cilantro, cojita, pico de gallo… The cogs were stuck in what was being asked, and finally one of his generals stopped play-fighting to actually help him through the words.

Orders placed, Lio tried sitting back to take a breather, let the music distract him. But every time he closed his eyes he still saw Galo’s look of disappointment. Was he still feeling the same way; was he thinking of him?

Thank god he didn’t confess earlier. He didn’t know how he’d react if they confessed only to fight not even a few hours later. Or maybe they wouldn’t have fought at all.

He lightly thumbed his chest through the jacket, anger mixing awfully with heartache. Eyes lingered by the small, lit candle near the end of the booth. The forming waxy lake captivated his attention, soothing him.

_Burn us…_

_Strengthen us…_

His horrid mood came back full swing, diverting his attention to notice Gueira eyeing it. He seemed almost dazed, wondering if Lio mirrored that same expression till Meis snapped hard in front of his face. “Dumbass! You were saying?”

“Wha—who are you calling dumbass?” Gueira was back, but Lio still kept a cautious eye on the fire that entranced them. It was more than a hunch now, needing to do some more tests on what this was. All thoughts were put on hold when Gueira picked up a box he’d brought in from the bike. “I did a little digging of my own and found this!”

The box was plopped unceremoniously onto the table with several clinks. “Open it, boss!”

Gifts to them didn’t have to be wrapped in colorful paper and strung up in bows. He appreciated the sentiment with a soft smile. “You really didn’t have to.”

“You’re not going to be saying that after you open it.” Gueira relaxed in his seat but Meis was rising out of his to get a closer look. Lio, urged by Meis’ own curiosity, flipped back the flaps to stare wide-eyed.

Pressed and neatly folded, his trademark cravat greeted him amongst the sea of black of his leather jacket. Meis murmured something, Gueira’s grin so wide it stretched his cheeks. Eagerly, Lio’s hands dipped in to pull the articles out. Belts and all, with even a polished pair of boots at the bottom.

He fingered over the cropped gloves with the ones Galo bought him, heart racing. “ _How_ did you get this?”

“Let’s just say I was in the market.” Gueira couldn’t be giddier, leaning over with index finger pointed in. “Isn’t it awesome? You can wear this tonight when we—!”

“You can’t keep stealing things, Gueira.” Meis’ tone was firm, snapping away any jolly festivity.

Gueira huffed. “It’s not stealing if no one notices. Besides, I’m a bit short on cash from the _volunteer work_ they put us through.”

“This isn’t going to help our reputation.” Gueira’s sad gaze prompted Meis to rise higher in both stature and volume. “They already expect us to keep doing this shit. You’re only hindering our cause.”

“Who cares what some fancy-ass humans think?” Gueira matched his height with kneeling on the booth, hands digging into the table. “If they won’t help us, we’ll help ourselves. Isn’t that how things have always been? I didn’t see you grieving when we robbed that convenience store last month.”

“That was when we were burnish!”

“We still are!”

“ _Enough_!” A simple snap of his voice got both his generals to sit back down. He ran a hand through his hair, there had been too much yelling today. “Gueira, we won’t make a habit of this. Meis is right, we need to stop stealing stuff.”

“I’ll stop stealing when they actually give a damn.” Gueira retaliated but kept seated. Meis didn’t look to be enjoying it any more than he was.

“I’ll make sure they do.” His stern authority managed to ease some of Gueira’s nerves, eyes shining with some hope. “But when you do get your first paycheck, it’s being allocated to paying whatever store you stole this from back.”

Gueira bit his tongue, surely from protesting, and gave a small nod. “S’that mean you’re keeping it?”

He shouldn’t have; parading around in stolen clothes wouldn’t improve his reputation from being the leader of a powerful terrorist organization. He gave Galo’s gloves a hard glance, remembering how excited Galo was when he found a pair that fit him. With fingers so small they were hard to come by in rough and tough manly leather. He tugged them off to stuff into his pocket, donning the ones Gueira found. “Thank you for the gift.”

They felt like another version of home once tugged and form-fitting; a home that brought some warmth and bitter cold. Nostalgic in both senses. Gueira seemed rather proud of himself. “No problem, boss! Knew you would love it.”

Meis seemed to give up on the earlier tension soon after as the waitress arrived with steaming plates in hand. The box was shuffled back over to Gueira’s empty seat. It was recommended to him by Meis, but seeing the food offered had him hesitating. Two log-like bumps nestled in a sea of sauces with a small pile of colored rice off to the side.

“Speaking of tonight,” Gueira tried talking with a mouthful of burrito after the woman left them alone. “Remember that old friend I mentioned? Got us hooked up for a whole set of hogs. Long as we don’t trash them and bring them back come sunrise, we got our transport.”

Everything was settling into place, eyeing the clock next to a polished guitar. So little time left as nerves started to surface. He could already feel the eyes and yet he felt he had no mouth to speak. It would not be their first, but it could potentially be their last.

“Better eat up, boss,” Gueira warned. Meis’ fork hovered over his ocean of sauces. “Before Meis tries taking a stab at it.”

“This is their best dish!” Meis threw back. They could afford to be light-hearted right now, but Lio had a lot to think on and an empty stomach.

He hoped it’d be enough to last him the night.

~

They rode out of town when the sun began to set. After pleasantries and a damn good meal—Lio would have to take Galo there sometime after their spat—he was escorted back to Gueira and Meis’ hangout. They had managed to skip out on the homeless shelters and landed in a small loft above a couple’s house, who was eternally thankful for bringing their husband home safe and sound. It seemed everywhere Lio turned there were more burnish hiding amongst the plain, only now there was no spark of life to distinguish them. They blended in perfectly.

Meis had put on some music from an old record player he’d managed to scrounge up while Gueira batted the bed with sticks he’d found from the dump. Now he’d really wished he’d picked up one of the guitars from the restaurant.

More idle chit-chat kept the clock moving alongside busting out to a few songs and reminiscing on the few rare instances when their burnish on-the-run lives weren’t so bleak and miserable. Gueira showed off a few dirty magazines of current football players with their official stats and his guesses for the playoffs, while Meis tried getting Lio more focused on the bike parts he had stored in the backyard and pictures of new bikes on the market. It only made Lio’s heart yearn greater for Detroit and they all playfully got water bottles and poured half out into the grass and chugged the rest.

But soon enough the time was nigh, ditching the bright red jacket of Burning Rescue for the sleek, tight-fitting leather jacket of his past. Everything fit perfectly, _too_ perfectly, and Lio contemplated how Gueira knew his exact measurements so well.

It wasn’t until he stepped out of the bathroom that Gueira and Meis stopped being dorks to give him an eyeful. That look, one of respect and of hardened resolve; it felt as though nothing had changed. One sentence, _We ride,_ and the two obeyed.

Now, out here in the vast, deadness of the Waste, it truly felt like their lives on the run was far from over. That everything before had just been a pleasant dream and the reality of their situation showed itself. Except they didn’t ride into the sunset on their beloved bikes but on loud, foreign hums of manmade machines.

Hour by hour, the ride became more intolerable on such second-rate seats. His legs began to cramp, his hair was a complete mess and the sand felt like a second skin. Gueira was the voice for all three as Meis kept more of his focus on not having the sandy paths slip out from underneath and leave them toppling with a several hundred-pound death trap hurling right behind them. If he hadn’t appreciated Detroit up to this point, he sorely missed him now.

But finally, the end came in the form of the shadow of past capitalism, ruined by the Great World Blaze. It was too close to the city to have ever been an effective area for regrouping and a much too easy target for Freeze Force, but tonight it would be perfect for his stage. The closer they drew in, with the sun nearly set, the more miscellaneous motorcycles and cars were huddled near the entrance.

One car was unloading a few women just as they pulled in as Lio was almost begging under his breath to get off. Once Meis stuck out his foot he was off and onto unsteady feet on unsteady ground, eyeing the women. Some seemed relieved, others unsure; exactly what he was expecting.

“You ready, boss?” Meis asked with Gueira soon following up.

With both generals at his proper sides, he managed to stave off some nerves, trying to keep his voice as calm and collected. “No.”

Allowing the women to go in first, Lio entered through the ripped off doorframes to murmured conversations and small flickering lights. It wasn’t tens he was eyeing but hundreds swamped together in the middle of the stripped aisles and forgotten framework. Lighters and torches were in almost every hand, highlighting the pained and mourning expressions that time couldn’t hide. A few elderly sat on the sanded bottom while a group of children ran around with nothing better to do.

It was beautiful, in the wrong sort of way. He could almost reach out and feel that warmth from the flames lick his fingers, wanting to get lost in it all again. But once one pair of eyes noticed him the rest followed, hushing until dead silence was his stage.

Nothing had changed.

“My people,” Lio began, arms outstretched as he walked towards the listening crowd. “It has been a few weeks since we’ve had the chance to be able to gather like so. I apologize for taking so long.”

There were no insults or forgiveness. So many eyes never bothered him before, trying to settle the nerves rising by forcing them down through sheer annoyance. “No doubt we’ve all had our fair share of down-trodden luck since the Parnassus. It was a dark day for all of us. Some forever scarred.” The next part caught in his throat, voice shaking. “Some… forever ashes. I am deeply sorry that I could not save you all.”

One voice spoke for the crowd. “You did all that you could.”

It didn’t placate the anguish that had flared, but he would take the sentiment with a small nod. “As you might have all noticed that our fire, our promare, has left us to return to their world. We no longer qualify under our own terms anymore; what it means to be burnish.”

That gathered a few insulted looks, a reaction he had been half expecting, but he pressed onward. “I had Meis and Gueira gather you all here this night because we cannot strive forward until we know who we are. Where we stand. If it was just our powers that made us burnish, or if it was our souls all along. The city, Governor Biar, wants to open a sector specifically for us to help us back on our feet. Promepolis has plans for us, but I ask you all to raise your voices and speak from the heart of what we as a people truly need.”

His voice edged off and only pained glances were his answer. His voice caught again, hoping they hadn’t all come out here to have a pity party.

“What we need is to forget.” The voice alone parted the crowd and the all too familiar pizza worker stepped forward. He held no light but the flashlight from his phone. “Ever since I became burnish, my life has been hell. I lived every day in fear of being caught, and when they finally found out who I was.” He lifted the stub of his arm and Lio’s heart dropped. “I still wake up at night, screaming over the events! Now I finally have an opportunity to forget about that waking nightmare, but people are still trying to label me! I do not breathe fire! I don’t want to hurt anyone! I want to go back to the life I was robbed because of that horrendous fire, and forget it ever happened.”

It garnered a few like-minded individuals to step forward, echoing the same response. The thorns in Lio’s gut started to spread and jab once more, eyeing the newcomer. “What is your name?”

“Maurice.” He replied. “I’m still thankful to you saving our lives, but this,” He gestured to the desecrated building. “Should not be happening. We shouldn’t have to leave our own city just to talk! I don’t want to be associated with you if all we had in common was some disease we didn’t ask for.”

“Hey, hey!” Gueira snapped and Maurice flinched. He bared his teeth with almost a growl in his tone. “A disease? Don’t be so dramatic! If you think all of us here are just going to toss away what made us who we are, you’re crazy!”

The attention began to buzz and suddenly Gueira was taking the floor, sweeping a finger over the crowd. “I recognize a lot of you from our travels together. Camping out under the stars, sharing a meal! Sure, the meals were shit! The blankets torn, the ground awful! But we survived!”

More hollers with fists rising. “We survived through sheer will and each other! They all thought we’d die out here or get easily captured, but we evaded those ice bastards for months! Riding hard, riding fast! Making lifelong bonds through the worst of it!” Gueira turned back with a softening smile, but Lio only felt pinpricks. There was part of him that wanted to stomp forward, raise Gueira’s hand and chime in and that part unnerved him.

“The day we became burnish, we became family. We looked out for each other and nearly made a settlement! I say we don’t need those ass-hats sitting in their fancy offices looking down on us.” Gueira cut the air with his arm. “We don’t need Promepolis! I say we give that burnish settlement another shot; for burnish, by burnish!”

Cheers erupted from parts of the crowd, further sickening and fueling different sides of his mind. The abject horror on Maurice’s face said it all, drowned in between a sea of excitement.

Lio felt frozen in his stance when Gueira eyed back again, the proudest he’d ever been. “Tell ‘em, Boss!”

“With what _power_ , Gueira?” It was Meis who dared to step forward. “How are you expecting us to travel through the waste on vehicles that need constant gas and oil changes! How are you going to accommodate for the harsh winters with no fire burning inside you?”

Gueira leaned back, teeth gritted. “We can get the supplies we need in the city!”

“You’re suggesting a _raid_?” Meis gawked. “Sure, that’ll be great for us. Rob the innocent and destroy stores so we can all die in the wilderness! What part of drinking piss coffee and eating molding bread made you feel alive?”

“Oho, don’t even get on that box!” A hard finger was jabbed into Meis’ chest. “You are no better than any of us, _partner_! When we handled Mad Burnish, you were all about that life! If you’re scared, don’t be! We got Boss to lead us again!”

“Don’t drag Lio into this!” Meis shoved Gueira off, running a hand through his messy mop of hair. “I get it, I do. Promepolis has always wanted the worst out of us. They treated us like freaks; ran us out of town if we were lucky; tortured us if we weren’t.”

He turned to face the crowd. “I am not free of sin. I robbed. I hurt people. I set things ablaze without thinking twice about the casualty. And it all felt _good_.”

Meis reached into his pocket, pulling out his lighter and Lio noticed how many star-struck eyes landed on the sudden bloom of light. “We’re drawn to it, even with our fire gone because that’s all we know. It’s familiar to us, so why stop now?” He snapped the case close, something Lio didn’t know if he’d be able to do at that moment. “But we need to. Because we don’t have it to protect us anymore. Our lives are meaningless to the government now. We’re human, through and through, always have been.”

He then jabbed over his back. “But that city? The rest of the world? They still think we’re dangerous. That we’ll explode any moment and go back to our ways. If we want them to respect us, to integrate back into society, we need to turn face and show true burnish pride. That we’re no different than anyone else on the street. Because let me tell you, as degrading as it is, I’d rather shine someone’s shoes than ever drag someone into a deserted gas station with a sleeping bag and tell them that’s the best they’re going to get out of life.”

 _That_ set off the entire crowd. A sea of anger and resentment, of sadness and pain. Voices trying to out-shout the other, of trying to assert their dominance in the foothold of their people. It felt like he was crashing through the world again. “Stop it!”

But his voice didn’t reach, having to watch Gueira stomp back over to Meis and for him to shove him back. A fist was raised and he screamed. “ _I said stop_!!”

It sharply came back from the echoes off the walls and the people came to a still. Eyes landed on him, feeling much more weight on his decision. “You all make good points. Our path from here onward will be divided. I won’t stop you if you’d rather slink away and pretend nothing happened.”

Mixed expressions sprinkled the crowd as he stomped his foot to get their attention again. “But right here, with the power vested in me as your leader.” He threw a fist up. “I disband Mad Burnish!”

“B-Boss?” Gueira spat, even garnering shock from Meis.

“Mad burnish was founded on the destruction of anti-burnish regimes and rescuing fellow burnish.” Lio continued, dropping his hand in front of his chest. He unfurled his fingers. “We will always be burnish… but we no longer need to be Mad burnish.”

Fingers curled back into a tight fist, trying to quell the fury that wanted to rage. “I don’t trust Governor Biar. I think the burnish apartments are a fool’s dream. If I could, I would build each and every one of you a house that you would feel safe sleeping in every night. But such is not the case.”

Was his voice shaking this whole time? His body trembled with such raw emotion, hoping he didn’t look of a child trying to garner respect. “But even though I am no longer your leader, I will lead you. I will make sure each and every one of you is given the rights you deserve. I will see to it that you are all integrated as smoothly as possible. That you all are provided safe living quarters and opportunities. I will be your ambassador, your voice if you let me.”

Silence. Lio drew within himself to find he was panting, his fists clenched too hard, and sweat covering his forehead.

Meis was the only one to step towards him until he stood face to face. They locked eyes and he couldn’t read what was on Mei’s mind until he reached a hand out. “You’re taking a lot on your shoulders. At least let me help you.”

The simple extended hand nearly broke him to tears. He shakily took his hand, firm, and when glancing back up he noticed a shimmer in Meis’ eyes of trying to hold back just as hard.

Gueira and Maurice were next. Maurice still showed that pained expression, withdrawing inward. “I am sorry… I cannot.”

Lio understood, nodding. “I will still make sure you are treated with every ounce of respect you deserve.”

Maurice didn’t respond, simply leaving back into the crowd. Gueira was last, desperately needing his other general, his other best friend to face him. Gueira’s face twisted, the tears he tried to hold back from somewhere else. “So that’s it? You going to just forget everything that happened to us?”

The sheer hurt lining his tone stabbed through Lio’s heart. He hadn’t been expecting that response. “No.”

Gueira’s fists unclenched as Lio chose his words carefully. “We won’t forget. But we can forgive.”

Searching inward, Lio knew he couldn’t do that last part. The missing limbs and the glassy gazes of forgotten souls was all the proof he needed to never do that. But Lio was not above learning how to, picturing Galo with his proud stance and his mop in hand. The first person he ever forgave.

Right now, he wanted nothing more than to find his arms and apologize.

“Bullshit!” Lio was forcibly dragged back into the meeting by Gueira’s hurt. Fresh tears fell from his cheeks. “I know you; you can’t even do that yourself!”

“Gueira,” Meis kept his voice restrained and somehow the pain in his own tone leaked through. “We’re not against you.”

“Fuck off!” Meis’ grip tightened over Lio’s as Gueira pushed past and made his exit.

Lio slipped out of Meis’ hand to follow. “Gueira!”

Just as he made it outside did he hear the roar of the engine and a cloud of sand disperse. A part of his soul had gone with Gueira and all he could feel was a betrayal that wasn’t certain if it was Gueira or himself.

The rest of the people followed, clearly split into three groups, none too happy. Lio hadn’t moved an inch; still staring in the direction Gueira’s bike took off until Meis flanked his side. “I’ll go after him.”

“Me too,” Lio interjected only to have Meis shake his head.

“You had enough of a day.”

“And that makes up for it?” Lio’s gaze was as venomous as his tone, but neither rattled Meis. They didn’t know what time it was, the stars blanketing their world. The day and the fire were finally taking a toll, being easily led over to the bike Meis borrowed.

“You want me to take you back to Galo?” Lio settled behind, face pressed into Meis’ back. He hadn’t known of anywhere else to go; imagining him walking through the door to a frantic Galo. Offering to draw him a bath, maybe finally getting some alone time to just… talk. His heart ached, unable to speak but nod into his back. They took off after the last car left with the outline of the city in their sights.

~

Gueira hadn’t stopped riding until he physically couldn’t go any further. The wheezing and hiccups of the engine were only two telling signs that something was horribly wrong, backed by the arrow straight down to E. He’d managed to get the crummy bike back into the outskirts just as the last of its juice ran out, gliding him into a gas station.

A slew of curses was breathed as he eyed the prices at the pump and the lack of money he had on his person. Everything about this night was going horribly. He’d never had a fight with Meis this badly, or ever fought with Lio period. It was like they didn’t care about anything that they’d gone through, faults and all.

“Fucking…rrgh!” He couldn’t think straight, his only plan of action being to ride hard, ride fast and try to shake off this rage. But nothing about it made him feel better; just constantly seeing Meis and Lio standing across with looks of betrayal.

But right now he had other things to worry about. Mainly getting this bike back to where it belonged, knowing it he failed to deliver by sunrise he’d be out of a ride. He worried his lower lip while he saw his miserable reflection in the screen asking for a credit card, scowling. “You look like shit.”

Okay, gotta think things through. Meis was always the better of the two for that, wishing he was here to help only to immediately chuck that sentiment away. He could figure this out. Fishing through his jackets produced nothing of value, and with the station occupied with more than a few burly men, he wasn’t going to try swiping any money. Maybe when he had his powers, but that was long gone. Typical Gueira, benched again.

Just as he began formulating a plan to siphon gas out of a couple’s car that’d just walked into the station did the pump loudly click with directions to lift the handle. His arms had sprung up and slowly lowered. “…The fuck?”

“Excuse me…” The mousey voice came from Aina walking over with water in hand. Wait, no, not Aina, she didn’t wear glasses or go through a growth spurt. “Thought you might have needed some gas. You’re good to fill until you hit 20.”

The wayward act of kindness threw him for a loop, but gas was gas. He lifted the handle and pushed for regular, jostling the pipe in place. “You felt pity for the scrappy looking guy?”

He wasn’t especially in the mood for that, but the woman didn’t seem hurt in the slightest. “You’re one of Lio’s friends. Meis… right?”

That stung as he pulled at the bottom of his jacket. “Wrong answer. Gueira’s the name, don’t forget it this time.” His suspicion of her only grew. “Why do you care?”

“I’m Aina’s sister, from the place you’ve been volunteering?” The untouched water bottle was held out with a soft smile. “I’m Heris.”

Now he understood why she looked so familiar. The resemblance was too uncanny not to be related. Still, that didn’t leave him feeling any better, leaning back on his rented bike. “Do you normally do this for random bikers in the outskirts?”

“Not normally.” She urged the bottle again and now that he thought about it, he was pretty parched. The cold water was appreciated down his dry throat, drinking half while Heris continued. “I went out for a walk to try and clear my head of some things and got a little lost. Just when I was going to call my sis did you pull in.”

“Lucky me.” He sarcastically replied just as the loud click told him his bike was fueled. He hadn’t even met the 20 mark, settling the nozzle back into place. “Listen, thanks for the free fuel-up. But I got a bike to store.”

Heris skirted a leg in front of the bike as he straddled it. “Mind if you give me a lift?”

“This isn’t how this works.” Gueira was not about to become a taxi-service for a stranger. Years in the Waste taught him that much. “I got too much to think about it to listen to you prattle on.”

“I’m pretty good at listening.” Heris insisted, stepping completely in front of the bike. Even as the headlight sparked and the engine hummed she merely draped her upper half over the handles. The glasses were a cute touch, he had to admit. “I think I can relate.”

That piqued his curiosity, knowing no way she could. Still, he wasn’t about to let some woman he just met stay right on his back. With a snap, she jolted off as the tires rolled out of the station. “Good luck getting that ride!”

He wouldn’t give it too much gas; he wasn’t in that much of a hurry to get the bike returned. More gas meant more contemplating. More guilt. More heartache.

“Please wait!” Typical. He turned back just as Heris rolled by with a slightly panicked expression. “It’ll take Aina awhile to get here! Can’t I just come with?”

His eyes darted down to the black rollerblades she struggled to catch him with and wondered how he’d missed something like those. “Go back to the gas station! Jeez, you’re something else!”

“But you’re right here! Come on, you even have a second seat!” She almost fell over herself as she grabbed said seat with a wild shriek. He suffocated the engine when he watched her nearly do the split in his side mirror. For someone who rollerbladed, she was terrible at it.

He turned around in his seat, driving at a near snail’s pace. “Get off my ride!”

“Please!” Now this was starting to become pathetic. What little life was still awake at this hour were giving them an odd eye as his speed read way below 10. Heris bowed her head onto the seat as if she were fighting herself on letting go or not. “W-Would you believe me if I said I was lost?”

With one jolt of the bike, she’d be flat on her ass and him on his way to lonesome sad town. But even with that brief thought, he put the brakes on, propping his bike up on his left foot. Heris finally let go to take deep breaths. “You’re insane.”

“Does that mean…” She took another deep inhale, standing straight up as she wiped her forehead of sweat. “I can come?”

If he tried to leave her now he didn’t doubt she’d try her stunt again. Crazy, and he liked that part of her. His digging frown finally came up. “I like your moxie. Hop on.”


	8. Stripped Bare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanna ask me a question? I got a curious cat! https://curiouscat.me/Rinichey
> 
> And for anyone who wants to follow me socially, I got a twitter! https://twitter.com/Rinichey?lang=en
> 
> Please enjoy the story!

This wasn’t how Lio had wanted Galo to see him. Not breaking into his house, not dressed in his old uniform and not with his addiction accenting the grave expression. He clicked the lighter shut but the blinding kitchen lights fully framed his crimes.

Galo may be an idiot, but he wasn’t dumb. And those cogs were turning too fast behind Galo’s gaze. “I didn’t buy you those.”

The walls rose as Lio stood his ground, feeling the call to fight. “Gueira bought them.”

“With what money?” His tone hurt just the same as the rest but it probed at his clothes and dug under his skin. Galo advanced.

“He saved up.” Covering the clear robbery sat awfully in his chest as he squared Galo, despite their height difference.

“Don’t lie to me! All they’ve been doing is volunteer work! Unless you want to tell me Gueira saved up a couple hundred for threads this good!” The sudden snap still took him off guard. “I thought you were done with this!”

“When did I ever say that?” Lio spat back, hurrying to pocket his lighter that Galo might snatch it away.

“So you’re still a part of Mad Burnish?” Galo seemed lost in both senses of the word. “You’re _still_ setting fires?”

This was unbelievable. “Think rationally for a second! What gain would I or _anyone_ have to start fires now?” He didn’t even let Galo speak, barking. “None! It’s gone! _They’re_ gone! No matter how much I say it and think it and know it, that the promare is finally free…” His voice slowed from how badly he trembled. The world grew blurry, chest completely raw and torn into. “I still hear them… urging me back… I almost wish they hadn’t left.”

Nothing felt more disgusting than admitting such a foul truth. He couldn’t even look Galo in the eyes, falling to his chest with shaking breaths. Panic overloaded most of his senses with thoughts of finding the easiest vehicle to break into and skipping town. He flinched terribly when Galo touched over his arms and he violently shoved away. “Don’t!”

His back and head hit the doorframe while his arms tried to protect what little ego survived. His eyes were wide but all he could see was an ocean of guilt and concern. “D-Don’t touch me…”

Duck and run, he wormed his way out from the claustrophobic embrace but had no other plan. Lio Fotia never ran from the enemy. There was the kitchen door out to the backyard. As he ran for it he could hear Galo’s seriously wounded tone. “Lio…”

It scrambled his mind and tore him in two; the urge to fight or flee attempting to usurp control. He abandoned the door to scurry down the black hall to the only opened door and slammed it shut. He hadn’t even thought to lock it, his back his only defense. His legs buckled and he fell into a crumpled mess of fingers pulling his hair and knees braced against each other.

Lio didn’t know the man who cowered at the foot of the door. He was the husk that remained after the bountiful fire left him behind.

The door thumped with Galo’s weight. “I’m worried about you…” That made two of them. He dare not breathe, simply listening. “Please don’t shut me out.”

Lio couldn’t find the will to stand, all the belts constricting his movements, feeling like snakes. The leather over his fingers felt wrong, an impersonation of someone greater and he wanted his other ones back.

“I’m sorry.”

Lio quietly lifted his head. “I’m sorry for what I said. I didn’t want to lose you too.”

Galo wasn’t the idiot.

Like being pulled out of a current, he expelled the heavy fog surrounding his thoughts and rose to his feet to turn the knob. In an instant, the door flung back, smacked Lio in the face, and down he went onto his ass. Something heavy landed over his thighs with a yelp as Lio scrambled to rise on his elbows. “You could have said you were opening the door!”

Galo trapped his legs with his back as his head was too dangerously close to his crotch. Ears burned while Lio couldn’t stop how perfect it would have been if Galo were flipped over. “I didn’t know!”

“You so did!” Galo squirmed and fulfilled that dirty desire without even knowing. He scooted closer and placed his elbows on either side of Lio’s waist, holding his head up with a pout. “Jeez, here I was opening up and you go and be mean. Is that all you know how to do?”

He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry at Galo’s antics, trying to form a witty response to notice his eyes. Bags settled beneath his relieved gaze and reminded him how this all started. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

The playfulness was lost as Lio continued. “I disbanded Mad Burnish.”

Galo sat taller, almost off his lap. “When?”

“A couple hours ago.” It felt right to get off his chest, to finally pry back the plywood that he’d nailed over every crack in his mental state. He softly sighed. “I’ve decided there was no need for it anymore. I want to help my people the best as I can, not as their leader. But as an ambassador.”

He waited for some loud, childish comment, but Galo listened. If he looked hard enough he could see wisps of smoke trailing out of Galo’s ears. “How does one become an ambassador?”

“I don’t know.” Somehow, that was funny to Lio. It played on his lips. “But I’ll do what I need to be the greatest.”

Fingers rose and touched over Galo’s spiky tufts, running down the strands down to his scalp. It felt so natural to play with it and brought greater relief than his lighter. He didn’t remember why they were even fighting.

“Lio?” Galo absentmindedly asked, but he paid no mind. The black of his leather gloves had him tugging both sets off to settle nearby, properly able to feel every short strand, like a soft brush. He leaned closer, hoping to smell that sweet dessert.

“Lio.” Galo’s voice roped him in, though his hands moved freely. “You don’t need the promare anymore. I know it’s gotta be hard but they weren’t what made you strong.”

Fingers slowed as Lio gave him the attention he rightfully deserved. “You’ve always been a light for others. The promare might have helped, but that was all you. You saved burnish. You fought me. We defeated Kray together. And yeah, having fire powers put you on another level, but you didn’t think twice to save that girl.”

The events earlier felt years away. Lio brushed his thumb over his shaved nubs. “I thought you abstained me.”

Galo nodded his head. “Not without the proper training and equipment. You wouldn’t ask a person who’s just awakened to fight.”

It wasn’t the exact same logic, but Lio could see where Galo was coming from. More plywood was strewn aside at the hardened respect Galo showed. “I know you’re missing them, but now everyone can be safe. You’re still helping and you don’t need to spit fire to write documents and talk to people.”

Lio softly chuckled. “It’d come in handy in meetings.”

“Should I call you Mr. Big Bad Burnish still?” Galo chimed in, and the room felt lighter than it’d ever been.

It was when Galo took his hand, squeezing tightly that he felt it. That loving warmth that coiled around him and refused to let go. “We’re in this together. I’ll be your burning soul, firebug.”

Like a wrecking ball, everything was exposed. The emotions he’d been hesitating zipped to the tips of his fingers and the ends of his toes. He felt encased in his promare but there were no wisps of fire floating around.

With no hesitation, he leaned past his fiery hair to connect their lips. Just as he thought, they weren’t as plush, slightly cracked, but it felt right for Galo. He seemed like a man who’d worry his lip.

Lips quietly smacked as he rose back up with adoration. “I’ll be your firebug.” It finally came loose, heart beating great with just as lovely of a smile.

That star-gazed astonishment accented his handsomeness, needing to hear his confirmation back. It looked like the cogs were finally turning… but he snapped into utter confusion. “What was that for? Is that some burnish thing?”

His heart lurched with the dying of his affections. “What does _that_ mean? I kissed you.”

“N-no,” Lio dropped into numbing cold as Galo fell off his legs to properly kneel. “I’ll let you be my firebug! But like… does that have a significant meaning for you guys or?”

Lio could feel the light-years distance between them as he heavily sighed. His mistake for believing Galo could read between any lines. “No, Galo, I,” Love was too strong of a word, and like _like_ was too childish. His blush properly caught up that he was stuck in this now, having to explain basic emotions to a brick. “I like you a lot and care about you. I want to _date_ you.”

That sparked a reaction. “R-Really?! Me?!” Galo pointed to himself as if anyone else could be in the room.

Lio openly scoffed loud and dramatically. “Don’t pretend you’re that dumb. You kissed me twice! Almost a third time at the phone store!”

“I did?!”

Lio sat straight up, horror dawning that he might have been the fool. “Why did you kiss me that night?”

“What night?”

“The only night you kissed me!”

Something wasn’t clicking until Galo’s face brightened. “Because my mom did that when I was a kid!” He pressed two index fingers together. “So like… you know! I figured it’d help you too!”

_Good god._ Lio wished he’d been left at the deserted superstore, burying his head deep into his hands. “Forget I said anything.”

He’d never be able to live this down. But just as he was contemplating if there was still a way to be whisked off into space did he feel Galo’s hands wrap around his wrists. “No, no! I didn’t mean it like that!”

“You clearly conveyed your emotions.” No matter the amount of tugging Lio wasn’t letting go.

“You just caught me off guard! I wasn’t expecting you to confess!” He finally fanned his fingers out to eye Galo, giving him one last shot. If he tried going on about how they could still be friends he’d be halfway down the street to Meis and Gueira’s attic by sunrise.

But instead of rash excuses, Galo bit his lower lip. “But hearing you say that… makes me think… I like you too…”

“You think?” Lio bluntly asked. He wasn’t going to accept pity out of this.

The more he focused on Galo’s shifting expression and the underlying desire felt too true. Galo never held back when it came to his beliefs. “I mean, I have thought about it. And haven’t. I got these feelings deep in my soul but I didn’t know what they were! I just thought it meant I cared about you, like everyone else! But it burned differently, and I think it only got worse when you were caught in that fire.”

If he let Galo prattle on they might be there all night as he failed to puzzle together what a crush was. He let his hands fall onto Galo’s lap, getting his gaze to go down there as he moved in. The moment Galo drew back up their lips matched. It was almost dainty with how Galo tried to pick up the pieces of what was going on. But soon his lips pressed, getting that aha moment that worked a small moan from Lio.

Breathily, Lio withdrew as his hands cupped Galo’s cheeks. “You have a crush on me.”

Galo regained that starry-gaze, nodding while his fingers brushed his hair under his ear. “Can I have another?”

Lio obliged with a song in his heart. Neither wanted to pull back and the little hairs on the back of Lio’s neck felt too sensitive when his fingers brushed over them.

“W-Wait.” Galo broke off. “Were you… going to confess at the phone store?”

Definitely not stupid. His ears burned at being caught. “Y-you were right on top of me!”

“But a phone store? That’s not romantic at all!” Galo almost seemed disappointed, still cradling his head while giving him a stern talking to.

“Good thing Aina interrupted our moment then.” He released Galo’s head and crossed his arms.

“Ai— _Oh_.” A firm nod affirmed Galo’s dawning mistake. “How was I supposed to know you wanted to date!”

“You still brushed me off.” In hindsight, it merely seemed funny now. Did he really want to remember awkwardly posing the question there? Here, he could and did let his fingers splay over the side of his face and brush the tips of his wild hair.

“I’m making up for it now.” The third kiss took him by surprise, entirely of Galo’s own will. It was spicier than the last, working his eyebrows together with an even weaker moan. His hand braced the ground and his chest jumped at Galo’s interest in his jacket.

“Galo,” It was desperate on his lips, slowly spreading his legs wider.

“You need to take a shower.”

Seemed like an odd place to really have their first, slowly opening his eyes. Yet any sexual tension he might have expected was negligent. Galo stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth and grew frustrated in fiddling with his belts. “How do you work this thing off?”

“Too much for you?” Lio teased, allowing his hands to join his in working the top off together.

“It’s just got so many belts. Seriously, why do you need this many?”

Any attempts to shrug it off his shoulders with a flourish died as Galo sat back, proud of his work. “New plan! I’ll get the water running and you strip!”

The requests were becoming too weird, feeling a disconnect. “…And then you’ll join me?”

“Why would I do that?” There it was, the little catalyst that broke any lead Lio had. “I mean, my shower is big enough. We could both fit in there, but it might get uncomfortable depending on how we fit ourselves. Also, you’re still covered in sand.”

He’d forgotten about his trip in the desert, running his fingers over his face to sprinkle a few sand particles over his pants. Just as Galo was catching on, blush bright, Lio was rising to his feet. “I’ll clean myself.”

He ignored the electronic clock on the nightstand and made his way to the bathroom, shucking off Gueira’s gift. The less he knew how ungodly early in the morning it was, the more he wouldn’t feel the urge to sleep in the shower. Despite Galo insisting he has a bath afterward, he stuck to just the shower.

The hot water drowning his hair woke Lio up to what he’d just done. Galo said yes. They were going to date. Had he known this a couple of months back he would have pitifully smiled and asked what gain his present self was earning for his kind. Now, it was just for Lio’s benefit to have him. His choice was devoid of anyone else.

Huh.

After depriving the shower of its hot water and drying himself to the best of his ability, he came back in with just a towel tied around his waist. The bedspread had been pulled back and Galo’s large T-shirt, now his nightshirt, was situated over one of the two pillows. Galo was half-hidden under the covers, patting over the pajama. “You gonna keep staring?”

It was just what he needed. The T-shirt was toasty and warm, Galo mightily proud of throwing that in the dryer while he was showering. “It always makes me feel better.”

A warm shirt, a warm body, slipping between the warm mattress and warm blankets. Galo snuggled close enough that their chests touched and he could feel his heartbeat by his. Lio fingered over his chest while Galo adjusted the blankets. “Comfy?”

“More than,” Lio mused, already feeling the dredges try and pull him down. He felt something soft and warm kiss his forehead and it wasn’t until Galo introduced his head to the pillow that the world slipped away.

Lio had many dreams of floating. Sometimes with clothes, sometimes without. Sometimes in space, sometimes in the air. It was rare that he awoke to drifting as insignificant bubbles swam out of his mouth.

The water was heavy and thick with a deep purple hue that transitioned to black the further he peered down. Above shined a bright blue and he reached to fan his fingers. His bare, pale arm answered one question. Tufts of his hair wavered towards the sky, feeling a tug in his soul to climb up and reach the light.

A clear, crystal ball rolled faintly down from the heavens with a small rose ember. He reached out to touch it, the fire fanning in a jolt while it continued its destination down into the depths. When Lio gazed up the ocean was illuminated in the transcending colors. Waves of blue mixing with reds, yellows, and pinks waving to and fro. They passed by Lio without care while his fingers dared to touch a few more.

A child’s voice it sounded like. Foreign without a clear dialect. His heart ached with little pricks whenever he brushed over the orbs, turning until he abandoned the light to watch the orbs sink till they were just needle pins of light.

“…be okay?” A haunting, soft voice asked. A golden orb sunk a hair’s breadth away from his face.

“Lio? Be sure… to come home…”

He caught the orb as it reached his chest and brought it back up to his face. His hair fanned around his face and the warm touch of the orb melted down his fingers.

The orb’s touch tickled as he chuckled. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

But the orb did have a home it needed to return to. With a friendly sendoff, he let the orb slip through his hands with the last of its kind. The heat returned to the depths as the icy waters welcomed him back.

Why was he here?

He tried turning back to the surface just when a glimpse of pink caught his eye. A shaking orb floated up from nothing with a small, pink flame barely flickering in the orb. It was too far out for him to reach.

“Wrong way,” Lio called out.

A wild glimmer burst from the deep and suddenly coiled around his leg. The orbs he sent off were curling towards his thigh, jerking him down into the depths. No matter how many times he tried to bend down and free his leg the sudden jolts would force him away, helpless to the perpetual limbo of the waves.

No amount of shouting or pleading had the orbs reconsider, escaping further from the light and the little pink light. The children’s voices multiplied till they rang in his head with silly songs that meant nothing.

All he could do was raise his hands up to the beaming blue until the creeping black swallowed him whole.

With a sharp gasp, Lio’s eyelids snapped open. The bright lines of the blinds lit up the room enough that it was clear Galo was gone. Again, he woke up to just a lingering warmth on the bed, sliding his hand over the spot. It would never be enough.

There were no sizzles from outside the door or the smell of something savory or sweet in the air. All was quiet, save for the creaking mattress as he rose.

A folded piece of paper he didn’t remember sat on Galo’s bed stand. He reached out and unfolded it.

_Good Morning, Lio!_

_If you’re reading this, then I’m at work! Captain called me in early, so I’ll be home sometime in the afternoon! Really wish I could have stayed in bed, but nothing can stop this burning soul of mine!_

_I made you some breakfast, it’s in the fridge! Heat it up in the microwave, but take the foil off first! Foil causes fires!_

_Get lots of rest! We’ll be going to the phone store when I get home!_

_Galo_

_PS. Aina says Gueira was sleeping on her couch. Do you know why?_

The pictures were quite childish but he wasn’t expecting the Great Galo Thymos to also be an artist. The note at the bottom raised the same questions Galo was asking, but it gave him a lead as to where he went.

Shucking off the covers, his stomach spearheaded his mission to find that plate of breakfast Galo had cooked. Figuring out the microwave took a minute, but with tinfoil taken off and a few minutes on high he sat at the table with a steaming pile eggs, bacon, and a couple of pancakes.

The silence was expected, but the house didn’t feel like one without Galo spouting something in his chipper tone. It was day one of his suspension and he could already feel his mind ticking down the time until he could walk out the door to Galo’s bike again, this time hand in hand. But what then?

As he tapped his fork on his plate a much louder and lower knock sounded. It wasn’t his house, but the thought didn’t cross his mind until he’d opened the door halfway.

Meis half-leaned onto the doorway with bags that only reminded him of the ones they all sported not even a month ago. “Couldn’t find him last night, boss.”

He let himself in and headed for the couch and nearly crashed. He leaned over with his head in his hands and his greasy hair hiding his shame. “I searched as much as I could. Didn’t even come back to the attic.”

“He was with Aina.” Lio shut the door at the same time Meis raised his head, equally confused.

“ _Why_?”

All he could give was a shrug. “Galo told me. I’ll press for more information when he gets home.”

“Think he’s at the station then?” Meis asked, a little too eagerly.

“Could be.” But just as Meis was rising from his seat he held out a hand. “Did you grab any food after the meeting?”

Meis gave him an off look, but his answer came when he turned his head back over to the still steaming plate. A simple gesture of his hand had Meis sitting down to partake in what was left. He didn’t need it, his mind was already running too fast to think of finishing his meal.

“You should shower too.” A quick run of his fingers through a lock of his hair spilled a bit of sand onto the ground.

Meis was in the middle of tearing off a fluffy piece of pancake. “You’re not my boss.” With a cheeky grin that followed.

Lio matched it with his own cocky smile. “No, but I am your ambassador, and someone pledged to help me with that last night. I think that still makes me your boss.”

“Whatever, boss.” At least they could still joke like this, even when he could see that Meis was beyond worried about Gueira. Now wasn’t the time to be rushing after him, not when they were this unprepared.

He left Meis to finish the plate as he entered Galo’s room and over to a table he rarely paid attention to. There was a large rectangle sitting in the middle of the desk with a single wire attached and a weird rolling accessory, but he opted for the smaller rectangle rested on a stand. He knew what this was from enough observations from Remi using it, and the Burning Rescue logo on the side confirmed his suspicions.

“What you want me to do with this?” Heading back out, he caught Meis in the middle of holding the plate with silverware piled on top. Dishes weren’t something they were used to, but something Lio could figure out.

As he took the plates he offered the tablet to Meis. “Teach me how to work this.”


	9. No Rest for the Wicked

When it came to technology, Lio was clearly at a disadvantage. The tablet was locked under a five-digit combination. Meis suggested Galo’s birthday, yet the numbers didn’t add up. After fiddling with the lock screen for a few minutes, a foreign click zoomed the screen into multiple tabs.

Meis, lying down, sat up and peered over his shoulder. “How did you figure it out?”

“It’s matoi.” Lio disappointingly spoke. He’d set a better one for Galo later.

There were documents on Burning Rescue that he’d need to read later, especially the ones with burnish in the title. For now, he needed Meis to teach him the basics for when he wasn’t around to guide him. He kept forgetting where the power button was, mistaking it for the volume button, and he henpecked, as Meis jested, which he hadn’t the foggiest idea.

From the way Lio tapped aggressively at the tablet to Meis’ increasingly snappy remarks, neither had to say anything to know why they were so short. No amount of shallow digging provided Aina’s address.

“I could stop by the precinct.” Meis offered. “Ask Aina herself.”

It was their best plan of action. However, their little plan had two hitches; Meis hadn’t brought his volunteer vest and Lio wasn’t going to stay behind. He could study Galo’s tablet undisturbed tomorrow; Gueira’s well being was far more crucial.

It didn’t take long for Lio to throw on a breathable button-up as he noticed Galo’s hoodie hanging over the side of the dresser. He fingered through it and gave it a small sniff to still smell the faint musk of pizza and sweat. He hurriedly threw it on and was meeting Meis outside with engine puttering in the early morning daylight.

With their borrowed bike the ride to Gueira and Meis’ abode was hardly ten minutes. It was meant to just be a quick stop in, however, once they opened the attack door neither felt the urge to get back on the road.

Gueira’s face was buried in a magazine, laid back on the bed when he noticed the two. His eyes widened as much as theirs and only got wider when Meis rushed in. “Gueira!”

“W-whoa!” The floor creaked and the mattress bounced from Meis’ tackle as the bed suffered from their roughhousing.

“Don’t go scaring us like that! Boss and I were worried sick!”

“H-hey! I was blowing off steam! I’m fine, aren’t I?” Gueira managed to push Meis back by his face. The magazine, crumpled like an accordion, splat on the floor forgotten.

Lio waited till the dust settled as Gueira spotted him. Any steam left dissipated into a sad, puppy dog look while he crossed his legs. “I’m really sorry about last night, bo-ah, Lio.”

He swooped in, prompting another surprised sound that pushed Gueira back onto the wall. Their vast height difference always placed Lio over their chests. “I’m sorry.”

“Wha-why are you apologizing?” An electric sensation of Gueira’s fingers hovering over his head changed to the rough hand settling over his shoulder.

“I drove you off last night.” He pulled back and stared up at his closest friend. “I never intended to hurt you. I just… want what’s best for all of us.”

Gueira swallowed hard as Lio felt last night’s emotions ebb back into his consciousness. “I know you do. We all do.”

A gentle pat on his back helped Lio sit up more as Meis scooted closer. “Gonna be honest, I was expecting another fight. But now that we’re just talking and hugging.” He softly chuckled. “Reminds me how much of an idiot I am.”

“Duh,” Meis interjected while punching his upper arm. “When have we ever been hard on your ass? It was a spat, not some life or death situation.”

“It’s hard to separate the two.” Gueira murmured that ended with a sigh.

Coaxed by Meis, Lio crawled between their two arms and wormed his own over their backs. “We can’t bring back Mad Burnish or the burnish settlement.”

“Hey,” Gueira stopped before Lio could unearth the discussion. “I get it. And I thought long and hard and realize yeah, we can’t be doing that anymore.” He half-heartedly shrugged. “As much fun as it was, we gotta set an example. So if you’re gonna be that ambassador thing,” He spun his hand. “Then I’ll help as much as I can.”

Such immense relief was too much for Lio to handle. Tears spilled and wouldn’t stop as he had to take an arm back to feebly clean up.

“H-hey, boss! No need to cry! Look at what you did!”

“Hey, hey! I’m being open here! What, you want me to continue bickering?”

Gueira and Meis’ arms tightened around Lio as a sob escaped, shaking. “I’m so glad to have you two in my life…” He stopped wiping the tears away to reach up, foreheads softly touching as he couldn’t help but smile. “I love you two.”

He felt their breaths hitch and little droplets stain Galo’s hoodie. “We love you too, Lio…”

“We couldn’t stop caring about you even if we tried.”

Gueira and Meis simply held him as it felt like his soul was being cleansed. He could finally take that first step forward, a confident stride with the men he cared so deeply for in his life right by him.

The atmosphere was returning to its normal routine, with Meis and Gueira snickering or bickering over something. Lio retrieved the clothes he’d left there the day before, slipping back on his wrist-long gloves and feeling whole again. They weren’t as tight or as stylish, but these felt more at home.

“…What I wanna know is why you slept at Aina’s.” Lio glanced at Meis in the mirror as he was eyeing his face. His hair was neatly groomed but his signature earrings were growing stale. Perhaps Galo could find him a pair.

“Didn’t plan to. I met her sister in the outskirts and she offered me the couch for the night.” Lio had the pleasure of witnessing his face twist, turning back to lean his hands on the dresser.

“Heris?”

Both men broadened their stances as if to let Lio in. Gueira’s face lit up. “Yeah! She’s not half bad. Mousey, but I can work with it.”

Meis’ lips thinned as Lio didn’t mirror the same enthusiasm. “Did she tell you of her former occupation?”

He wanted that light-heartedness to fade and die as he only got an awkward frown. “Ah, yeah. She did tell me.” Gueira shifted his weight. “But like… she’s not bad?”

“ _Not bad_.” Lio bit, once more reeling in that part of him that wanted to spark and spew outraged flames.

Gueira’s stance broadened defensively that only worsened his mood. “She…okay, ‘messed up’ would undermine a fucking lot. But if she didn’t overload the engine, me and Meis,” He shot a thumb back to Meis, who especially looked like he didn’t want to be there. “We’d be ashes on the wind and there wouldn’t be a planet to discuss this on!”

“Burnish _died_ , Gueira!” It sapped any goodwill that’d been created out of the air.

Gueira reacted like he’d been personally slapped in the face, fists clenched. “And our hands were stained red when you found us, but you aren’t tossing us to the curb like the monsters you should have treated us as!”

“ _Gueira_!” Meis interjected but once he shot a warning look his way Lio lost his footing. “Calm down. Both of you.”

They were all skidding head-first back into last night and Lio was almost afraid Gueira would run off with no inclination of where he’d go. “You know, I got a track record.” Gueira broke the tension, fists forced into his pockets. “So if anyone is gonna look down upon her, it’d feel dirty if it came from me.”

Lio had the energy and will to keep at this but at the slightest ounce of hurt in Gueira’s eyes he knew the fight wasn’t worth it. “…Do what you want.”

It left neither happy, with the tension fizzling into something foul. His head was clearing with deep regret at wanting to rip away his friend’s happiness. No amount of patting over any pockets he could find gave him his lighter.

“Here.” It was Gueira to hand out his own, a much taller one with roses in the corner. How he knew he’d been feeling for it was a question he didn’t want to be answered right now. With a small thanks, he flipped the lid and began rolling, watching the flames flicker and die by his will.

“I’m gonna take a piss.” Meis was off to the bathroom as it left the two of them alone. His nails scraped over the dresser as he worked on his breathing and as many rolls as he could without his thumb slipping or breaking the magical box.

Gueira flopped back onto the bed as he intently watched his work. “…You ever miss it?”

The fire sputtered and he let it live, seeing him center of the flames. “All the time.” He spat on the ground. “I hate admitting it. All the pain. The losses. The suffering.”

“I know you’re not saying you want that back.” With a firm snap, Lio closed the lid and let the little tug Gueira offered led him over. Hand slid farther away as he lightly leaned back. “But it was kind of fun. Feeling powerful. Feeling like… we could change things.”

It undermined so many atrocious monstrosities upon them. But he couldn’t deny the way his heart fluttered sitting back on Detroit, trading jests with Gueira and Meis on their way to a raid.

Gueira glanced down and he knew he saw those memories playing out in his head. “Let’s pick you up tonight after volunteer hours. Me and Meis have got this little thing going on that you might like to be a part of.”

Ah, finally, things were settling down again. He shot a playfully stern look. “And you haven’t invited me yet?”

“Well I mean, you’ve been hanging off Galo since that day.” Gueira pursed his lips. “Thought you two might have wanted some alone time! To you know… get acquainted.”

His shit-eating grin made Lio inhale deeply, feeling his hair stand on end. It got a laugh out of Gueira that he could only smile at, thankful he could still feel that kindred warmth.

Just thinking of Galo set him at ease. “You wouldn’t mind if he tagged along, would you?”

“You want your boyfriend to be there? Sure, I don’t mind.” Gueira teased with no doubt intention to rile him up again.

It made it all the sweeter when he simply smiled and threw Gueira’s train of thought into a ditch. “Wait, for _real_? Didn’t you just fight?!”

“If I have to be a part of one more spat,” Meis groaned as he interjected himself into the room and conversation.

Lio gasped as Gueira snatched his shoulders. “Boss and Galo banged!”

“What?!” Meis was equally as flustered as Lio struggled against Gueria’s vice-like grip.

“We didn’t do anything!”

“Come on boss, spill the beans!”

Meis rushed over but to his dismay, it was to grab his wrists and force them behind his back. “Who topped and who bottomed?! Who confessed first?!”

“How nasty did you get? And oh my god, you’re wearing his _goddamn_ hoodie! Where’s the hickies!”

The plucking of the hoodie for nonexistent bruises made him snap at the air, regretful that he’d lost his will to overpower the two. “Get off me! Meis! _Gueira_!”

* * *

Having a phone felt like such a huge responsibility that didn’t compare to how light it felt between his fingers. Galo was adamant about him having one after he’d come home with that big smile of his and cheery attitude. It hadn’t crossed his mind how worried Galo had become not knowing where he was. The phone was like a leash, tethering him to Galo or anyone else that needed him, as Lio surmised. He wouldn’t be leashed but for Galo, he could try.

They went for a cheaper option, one without the nicest camera and not as many gigabytes, whatever that meant. It was even smaller than Galo’s gigantic mini-tablet and that was fine by him. It didn’t jut out as awkwardly in his pocket.

Despite Galo being all in to buy it as a gift, Lio swore he’d pay him back. Gueira’s gift was starting to open his eyes on how much of a freeloader he’d become; from the outfit he wore to the phone in his pocket to the lunch Galo had cooked them before they’d left. That would start changing.

The ride through the blackened city lit up by artificial light was a different wonder on its own. He didn’t get to enjoy the sight while he was stuck in his head the night before; openly eyeing the even rows of streetlamps and the warm yellow glows inside houses. Some fully encasing the windows, some silhouetting families sitting down for dinner, some just a blue flicker of a static TV, and some dozens of small lights with a pink hue. They conveyed safety that he would achieve for his kind again.

Where Gueira and Meis’ rendezvous point was nothing more than a small spot at a local park not too far from their place. Lio slipped down off Galo’s bike and felt the thrum of the engine still as Galo did the same.

“Can I ride your bike?” Lio asked, expecting some resistance in the way Galo eyed him.

“I’ve seen how you drive Detroit.” He patted the side of his ride. “I’m still paying her off.”

“I’ll be careful.” He crossed his fingers. “I promise I won’t drive her off buildings.”

A twinkle in Galo’s eye shucked his arm around his shoulders, pulling Lio close back to that furnace that dwelled within. “But running me over is still fine?”

“Only if you’re in the way.” He clutched at Galo’s hoodie still snuggled over his frame. The way Galo stared with a slight hunger the moment he came through the door and saw him perched on his dining chair with his knees tucked underneath was a treat he was going to milk at every opportunity he found.

They were soon waved over by Meis crowded around camping chairs and large trash bags. Gueira had a large metal trashcan hefted over his head and slammed it into the middle of the circle, resting his arm over the side. “You made it! Congratulations to the happy couple!”

Lio knew what this was from having done so many times, just never in such a pleasant atmosphere or as recreation. Galo seemed to catch on too with a wry glance. “What are you guys doing?”

“Starting fires, what else?” Gueira snickered at his own joke as Meis picked up one of the trash bags. Wood chips, newspapers, and other assortments of trash were dumped in. “All this trash has to go somewhere.”

“You’re just dumping it in?” Galo seemed appalled and Lio lost his warm arm as he charged over. “No way! There’s so many rules of fire safety you’re breaking right now! This whole park will go up!”

“Bro, we brought a fire extinguisher.” Tone flat, Gueira raised their handy dandy tool but Galo was already wrestling the bag out of Meis’ hands.

Galo might have been dense on some things, but the sudden violations and rules he spouted like he was reciting the bible was pretty impressive. He trying to snag a bag of trash out of Meis’ arms while both shouted took that impressiveness away.

Chairs were dragged and the trashcan was disposed of as Galo led the march half across the park to a patchier division. The grass was sparse among dirt as Galo pulled Meis with him to get the shovels from his bike. Gueira laughed at his misfortune but soon wiped away his jeer when Galo informed him and Lio they were on trash sorting duty.

The bratty squat Gueira resigned himself to said enough. Lio just got comfy in the grass away from their soon-to-be-campfire. “Galo’s not invited next time.”

Lio softly smirked and tossed some candy wrappers into their trash bag as he plucked the woodchips out. “I think it’s a fair enough punishment for frisking me earlier.”

“Oh shut up.” Occasionally, Lio would tune into Galo and Meis’ off-topic chat with the smell of fresh dirt. Something along the lines of work.

“Hey,” As he placed more woodchips aside, Lio noticed Gueira had lost his smile. “Has uh… has Meis said anything about Lucia? Like talked about her?”

He didn’t appear at all cocky, riding entirely on his answer. Lio didn’t reach for his pile. “No, why?”

“Nothing?” Gueira sat straighter, acting like he’d been prepared for every other scenario. “You sure?”

“If anything, he hasn’t stopped talking about you.” The lack of blood to his legs shifted Lio to relax his legs to the side.

A faded blush Lio could barely make out colored Gueira’s cheeks as Lio made sure to keep his voice low. “You know he cares about you. Do you really think he’d leave you for someone else?”

“Fuck man, that’s the problem.” Gueira just dropped the torn newspaper he was about to sort to lean back and take a gander at the stars. “We aren’t… we never committed, you know?”

The trash was completely forgotten as Lio gave his full attention. “No, I thought you were together.”

“We are?” Gueira tried to meet halfway then gave up with a sigh. “More like friends with benefits. Kind of like what we had.”

A gentle smile tugged at Lio’s heart and the very rare instances when they all shared a bed together. It started out as an excuse that they all deserved the same bedding when resources were limited, but they all quickly caught on how much they were lying to themselves. All he could give now was a caress over his hand in the cold grass. “Mad Burnish brought us together. Being burnish let us meet. I fell for him so hard, Lio, but there was never a good chance to stop and just say that. Couldn’t even say it when we were about to die.”

“You have time now.” Lio quietly reassured him.

Gueira’s hand tensed under his. “Mad burnish is gone. We’re not burnish. He’s leaving all the time now to go help Lucia with some project he won’t talk about and I see them laughing or sharing secrets whenever I come in.” His fingers curled into a nasty fist. “And I just think… is that all we had in common? Now that we’re nothing… would he want me?”

The storm-out last night felt much more personal as Lio saw that vivid memory. Gueira was driven to tears and Meis had taken Lio’s side. He sidled closer but any comfort was lost at Galo poking his head between. “We’re all set! Did you get the firewood ready?”

The meager pile at their feet was hardly impressive. “That’s it? I mean, I’m fine with a small fire.”

“You made me haul ass for that?” Meis stomped his shovel into the ground to be used as a perch for his chin. “And here I go getting you something nice.”

“Like what? Your attitude?” Gueira scoffed, but it didn’t hold the same density as their earlier discussion.

Leaving the shovel, Meis rounded back to a small cooler he’d kept closely guarded and wouldn’t let Lio peek in. It snapped shut as he whirled around with a package of what looked to be expensive sausages in hand. From the way Gueira gasped Lio knew things would work themselves out. “Shut the fuck up. Andouille?”

“I guess you didn’t really want these.” The sigh was light as Meis waved them around. “Shame, I thought they were your favorite.”

Lio was smacked in the right eye with a candy wrapper as Gueira was mad tossing every piece of newspaper and wood he could find into the pile. “Eat one of them and I’ll pull it back out!”

Through a combined group effort, they managed to scrape together a decent pile of flammable material. It was plopped down into the ditch Meis and Galo had created and barricaded with a ring of rocks. Despite Gueira’s insistence to just light a piece on fire, toss it and be done with it, Galo wasn’t budging on doing it the right way.

Galo was placing what appeared to be a small tent of dry leaves and twigs in the center, bent so far down that Lio could see the thin line of his gym shorts outline the crease of his ass. Galo tilted his head up. “Anyone got a light?”

“Here,” Gueira managed to get his lighter out faster, holding it out for Galo who didn’t move. He began to see the crease of his eyebrows furrowing and Lio was down on his knees with his little lighter out and flaming.

As he brought the fire closer he felt another intensity, shifting to look over. The flames danced in Galo’s hardened gaze; one that he mistook was for him until his eyes landed on the exact same spot on the lighter. Galo simply pointed to the small brush and Lio complied, kissing the dead earth with life.

The lighter was stashed away in Galo’s pocket but his hand snatched his wrist faster. “Can we talk?”

Lio wasn’t given an option to opt-out as Galo addressed Meis. “Just give it a few gentle blows and start piling more wood on top.”

“Uh, sure.”

Led astray into the darkening shadows of the fading day, Galo still hadn’t let up on his wrist. He dug his heel into the ground when they were far enough back, ripping his wrist free. “The hell was that about?”

“That lighter.” Galo’s hand stayed midair. “Did Gueira or Meis give it to you?”

They’d just gotten down one fight, Lio wasn’t about to start another. He gambled the idea of lying again but figured if Galo somehow managed to catch him for a second time he’d be really in hell. “I stole it our first day of clean up.”

Galo’s slow sigh only chipped away at some of his defense. “Okay, that’s not great, but thank you for being honest.” He looked to be in the same position of just wanting to ignore whatever this was about to become, as though the words were collecting in his throat. “Aina and Lucia… they say you’ve been playing with that thing. And I get it, I do, it reminds you of your fire.” His next sigh was even harder, finally squaring Lio in his eyes. “But if you’re gonna stay at my house… I need you to get rid of it.”

It sounded ridiculous in that split moment. Galo or the lighter? But Lio couldn’t ponder how stupid that sounded when he could see clear as day in the dying sunlight an old wound that could spread open with any amount of agitation. The Great Galo Thymos, an aspiring Firefighter, who braved fires without hesitation and punched a dragon made entirely of his anguish and nuclear fires, knew firsthand exactly what happened if people like him didn’t come through. Then he remembered the electric stove. The lack of matches when he searched his kitchen on a boring Sunday. The safety caps on all the outlets when Galo was explaining fire safety tips and how he’d created his house to be the perfect fire-free safe zone.

The lighter clutched in his hand burned more than it ever could lit. As he worked his hand loose, Galo held out his open palm and his look of worry turned insecure. “I would hope you trust me enough to never set a fire in your house.”

Galo’s eyebrows furrowed, voice strained. “This isn’t about trust. But I do.”

He passed the weight and responsibility to Galo as his arm shook and Lio saw that frightened child hiding inside. He tried clutching it tighter but Lio managed to work it free without much effort, eyeing the nearby trashcan. They led one another over and let the lighter slip down to clunk at the bottom. When Lio gazed back up it was to a loving relief he wanted to see day in and day out. “Thank you.”

Strolling hand-in-hand, they returned to the growing fire with Gueira’s lips sealed around one of the sausages. He looked so caught in the moment that Lio couldn’t help but snort as Meis made an even worse comment that had all of them hiccupping. Seats were taken and sticks were provided, courtesy of Meis, while Gueira procured more snacks out of the cooler. Marshmallows, chocolates, and graham crackers were passed around.

“Seems out of season,” Galo commented but still took a little bit of everything.

Lio was handed his share but stared down at it curiously and took a nibble out of the graham cracker only to be openly scolded. “You can’t eat it yet!”

“Why not?” Lio, frazzled, put the cracker back down.

“Boss, this is sad.” Meis sat at the far end as Gueira was trying to find a good way to stab the rest of his sausage onto his stick. “You’ve never had smores?”

“Did you even have a childhood?” Galo asked then zipped his lip when Gueira and Meis eyed him like he’d just said he had cancer.

A dull, numbing pain spread in the back of his mind as he lightly hummed. “I guess I didn’t. Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it now.”

“Y-yeah,” Meis spoke. It didn’t offend him; not even Meis or Gueira knew about his past and it would continue to stay that way.

“How the hell did you even afford these?” Gueira spoke up as Lio pursed his lips thin. Galo, who had taken the time to spear the marshmallow onto his stick, was now gazing at Meis suspiciously.

The only one of their bunch who wasn’t sweating the details fished into his pocket and fanned out a few remaining bills. “Lucia gave me a sweet gift to treat us tonight for all the overtime I’ve been putting in.”

“Lucia, huh?” Gueira’s tone dropped. “Tell her thanks.”

“That was unexpectedly sweet of her.” Galo’s comment was not helping Gueira’s glum frown and Lio wished he’d take a hint. He stopped trying to keep his sausage on his stick and just took a large bite out of it, chewing slowly.

It wasn’t his business what his generals got up to, who they saw. But the idea of them seeing separate people, as much as he’d be happy for them, didn’t settle too well in his stomach.

His eyes drifted back to the embers as Galo, with his own stick in hand, showed him the right way to hold the marshmallow over the flames. The little white, sticky cube was so small compared to the large, mighty sparks of fire. He kept focusing on them, drawn again to their siren’s call.

_Burn…_

_Let us grow…_

_Let us feed…_

He snapped his eyes shut, locating the voices but unable to do anything about them. They weren’t alive like the Promare; empty and as gone as he felt. When he reopened them the fire was still there, urging him onward.

“I don’t need you.” He harshly whispered under his breath. He held his stick tightly as the goop began to plop into the maws of the hungry snake. Another blink and the fires were shifting, colors blazing into familiar emeralds and amethysts. The wild flames were morphing into coils of multiple snakes, one hungry head lashing up to take a bite of his stick and sweet. He gasped and let the stick go as the rest was devoured in its oven maw.

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the live creatures as a calmness smothered out the panic that tried waking him up. This was normal, wasn’t it? It was always his normal.

Shoulders slumped as Lio felt so unbearably cold down to his core. The snakes, done with devouring the sad meal of dry leaves and wood chippings, slithered over the rocks. They coiled around his ankles and slithered up with a tender embrace he’d forgotten. It nearly brought tears with how much he missed their voices, letting it rise higher to his chest.

“Lio!”

The hard, cold ground punched the back of his head and shoulders, gasping loudly for air. His legs automatically clung around the waist of his attacker, trying to hurtle them off with a snarl on his breath. “Lio, it’s me!”

Galo’s voice rang through the madness and snapped him to the unique facial features of his boyfriend. There was barely any light left, almost unable to make out his pained expression. The chairs were gone, lying on the grass with Galo’s hoodie covering the back of his head.

“What… happened?” Lio was almost afraid to ask. Meis and Gueira were starting to move into frame, seeming just as spooked.

“You don’t know?” Galo spoke like he was afraid of that answer.

It was Meis who answered. “You tried to set yourself on fire.”


	10. Personal Agendas

Listening to Galo, Gueira, and Meis talk about him sounded like an entirely different person. He’d apparently threw his stick into the fire, garnering some awkward comments from Galo before he abruptly took Gueira and Galo’s sticks and did the same, something Gueira still lamented. It was when he abruptly stood and tried to throw his chair in that Galo attempted to wrestle the chair out of his hands. Meis managed to work it loose but by then Lio was already making his way to the fire and Galo tackled him to the ground.

Lio sat cross-legged while he listened to their facts. The fire was nothing more than a pile of foam and the only light they had now streamed from Galo’s phone. None of them felt consolidated; it was like two completely different lockets trying to snap together.

“You saw the promare?” Lio reaffirmed Galo’s hesitant question with a solemn nod. He was just a breath away from crumbling into a trembling mess, knowing what would have happened had he been alone. If the snakes had swallowed him whole as he pleadingly wanted.

“The voices haven’t stopped.” His voice was smaller than his frail mindset. “They just keep persisting.”

“Voices?” Meis and Gueira had stayed standing when Galo dropped to his knees after Lio settled in the grass. He let Galo stroke his worn thumbs over his palms, leaning forward with such an incredulous look of concern.

Now Meis was kneeling in the grass beside him just as worried. “How long?”

“Whenever I see a flicker of flame.” Gueira flanked Lio’s other side as he took a shaky breath. “They keep insisting I burn things… let them grow…” He could faintly feel the mantra echo off his own words, a hollow ring in the back of his mind.

Gueira shifted his legs, looking ready to puke. “We’ve… been having that same problem.”

Lio and Galo eyed opposite generals, both equally uncomfortable. “We didn’t want to spook you. Thought it was just a lingering aftereffect of our fire.”

“Then… maybe you still have it!” Galo’s conclusion sank like a rock in Lio’s gut. “What if the promare didn’t leave? That’s gotta be it!”

He wanted to smack Galo with the hard truth, but the tiniest voice in the back of his head wanted him to be right. It would explain away the voices, the calmness he felt whenever he was amongst flames.

Galo disappeared at the closing of his eyes, searching deep through the catacombs of his mind and chest. The warmth of Galo’s hands disappeared, the cold grass a memory. Sound turned into white noise as he kept going deeper into the cold recesses.

Hands splayed over Galo’s, palms facing up as he called into the depths for a light, a spark, a sign that they were there. Eyes slid open with a lack of faith and a lost sense of hope. “Nothing. They’re gone.”

He checked to see Meis and Gueira attempting the same tricks; Gueira snapping his fingers while Meis fiddled with some grass with no result. He mirrored the same hesitation Galo was trying his hardest not to show. Questions he knew no one had answers to demanded to be told.

“Does this mean we’ll do the same thing?” Gueira had to be the one to go and vocalize them. No matter how tough he sounded, it ended off startled. “For all burnish?”

“I think it’s already begun,” Lio knew what Galo was referring to, head lost to that horrible fire.

“I mean, you said they were aliens,” Meis began as he took a deep inhale of his cigarette. Lio didn’t remember when Meis lit it between his shaking fingers. “Hosts in our bodies, right? Giving us the fire, telling us to light anything on fire. Maybe we’re still looking for that high.” He stuck his light between his teeth to slip his fingers together and lock them. “I don’t know, I’m just throwing shit out there.”

“It sounds right to me.” Lio breathed as Galo suddenly let go of his hands. A sickening yell in his head twisted his ears, unwilling to quote it or even acknowledge the possibility. He couldn’t be right; Lio _wouldn’t_ let him be right.

The only reason he was pulled from his dark thoughts was when he heard Galo pressing buttons on his phone. “I’m going to call Captain and tell him what’s up.”

The thorns returned and encased his heart as Lio stared daggers. “You can’t put out fires that haven’t started.”

“No,” Galo slowed, his thumb hovering over a phone icon. “But maybe we can… put you guys somewhere safe? So you don’t accidentally start a fire or until we can figure this out.”

“Like a facility?” Gueira spoke what seized through Lio and Meis’ minds and he couldn’t stop the roaring anger that bloomed. “Experiment on us? Like fucking animals?”

“I didn’t say any of that!” Galo spat just as Gueira wrenched his phone out of his hands and threw it halfway across the park.

“No one’s being called! No one is locking us up! We don’t have our powers and you’re _still_ try—!”

“Will you let me talk?!” Galo yelled as Lio fought to not snap at Galo either.

“Let’s think rationally for a second.” Lio managed to get them to shut up with his cold tone. “We know the voices only come near open flames and it hasn’t even been a month since they left.” He cut them all an icy stare, naturally slipping back into his leadership role. “We tell no one of what happened here. I’ll see to it to gather more information on if other burnish are experiencing the same issues. With luck, it’ll pass over time.”

“And if it doesn’t?” Galo had to ask. “This is a serious problem. I can’t keep this a secret.”

“You have to,” Lio pressed with no brokering. “How would Promepolis react if they heard burnish were still causing fires, accidental or not? There’d be lynching in the streets and we’d be back in the Waste, only we wouldn’t have the promare to protect us. It’d be open hunting season.”

Galo flapped his mouth open to then shut it and Lio now wished he’d left Galo at home. To ask him to hold a secret was asking Galo to never eat pizza. He added with a sigh. “Just until I can come up with some concrete data. Will you do me that?”

Galo still looked miffed about the situation, sighing. “Only until you find something.”

Gueira shot Galo a dangerous glance that Lio caught. He had enough for one day. “Meeting adjourned.”

“What meeting?” Galo asked. It popped Lio out of his mantra and by the way Meis and Gueira were already half-standing they were simply on auto-pilot.

Lio bit his inner cheek. “Let’s just call it a night.”

Lio could chalk up his exhaustion up there with some of his worse days. After things were finally starting to settle down, they all came rearing right back up with new problems. It almost made him want to laugh at the situation if he wasn’t so deadbeat tired with fried nerves at every end.

The ride home was too quiet, leaving him with too many thoughts that required too much energy he didn’t have. With Galo closing the door to their house, he nearly forgot to take his shoes off. They were placed alongside Galo’s as he just wanted to hop into the shower and get back under the covers.

“Hey,” Lio almost didn’t stop, but wouldn’t that have made for a great second day with his new boyfriend. With tired eyes he gazed over as the lights flicked on. A metal key hung in Galo’s hand with a soft smile, as though he were trying to bridge a situation he caused. “Got you this.”

Lio held out his palm as Galo slipped the key in. He held it between his thumb and index. “What’s this for?”

“My house,” Lio hid the key in his palm. “I forgot to give it to you earlier. So you can get in whenever you need to.”

It felt much heavier as he felt his chest tighten. A house key shouldn’t have made him this excited and he didn’t try to hide his smile. “Thank you.”

“I also thought of something else.” That something else laid rest on Galo’s lips as he strolled past Lio and worked off his shirt. His eyebrows arched up as Galo was clearly strolling away with Lio following right on his tail. Were they finally going to do it? His hands felt uncomfortably warm, tempted to grab his strong hips and push him into the hallway wall right then and there.

The bedroom nearly confirmed his suspicions, trying to keep his composure as Galo sat down at the edge and beckoned him over. He would have scrambled over even without the gesture, but he kept ram-rod straight so as to not come off as a feral. He sat almost robotically and Galo leaned closer.

Lio bristled as his hand touched over and cupped his waist side. It felt comfortably safe, as safe as when Galo bent down to take a kiss. His stomach flipped that Galo was past asking. His hand brushed over his shoulder but Galo didn’t take any further moves. Was he waiting for him to take the lead? He would do so gladly, but everything felt a little too reserved. “Galo.”

“Hm?” He pulled away loosely.

“You were going to say something?”

“Oh! Right!” He turned sheepish as he took his arm back and Lio regretted reminding him. There was always a catch with Galo Thymos. “I was thinking on the way back…” A sudden light jab bopped Lio’s chest. “I’m going to train you to fight fires!”

Lio blinked and wasn’t given time to respond as Galo continued. “See, the problem is you’re not equipped to deal with these situations! All you know his how to start them! So if we teach you how to properly put them out, then you can fight these inner burning demons and rescue ex-burnish! It’s a win-win!”

The pride Galo wore at his latest idea was almost infectious. Lio folded his hands across one another, taken aback. “That’s… not a bad idea.”

“It’s not bad, it’s great!”

It was true he didn’t know much on account of never needing to end his arsonist sprees. Should the eventuality arise of a burning mistake, it should be his responsibility to put it out. He wearily glanced. “I’m not allowed back at the firehouse.”

“No problem! We’ll practice in the backyard! And anything we can’t do we’ll just wait till your suspension is over.” It was starting to come together into a more cohesive and tight plan, one that Lio was impressed with. The voices couldn’t lure them if he could douse them faster.

Lio huffed with a smirk and let his hand wander around Galo’s back to settle on the side of his waist. “You’ve convinced me; sign me up for Galo’s Burning Rescue classes.”

“One new trainee, coming right up!” Galo proudly proclaimed. The heat surrounding Galo was nice as they touched foreheads. “We’ll do training every day after work. By the time your suspension is over, you’ll be one of us!”

The thought settled odd in his gut, having his own jacket that was appropriately sized and taking orders from Ignis. He shelved those thoughts to lean up and feather his lip over Galo’s, sparking him to lean further down. They chased after one another for a quiet moment of breathless pants and again, the urge to go beyond just gentle kisses aroused him beyond what he was comfortable admitting. He wanted to consume everything that was Galo Thymos, starved for attention he wasn’t receiving. It felt so natural to want to be so close and touched like they had always been like this.

“Do you feel better?” Galo murmured over his lips as he withdrew.

Lio took a few blinks to come back down, feeling his head cradled in his calloused hands. He heavily leaned into his fingers as they brushed his hair back. “This is helping.”

Galo’s gentle smile kept him grounded. “You know, I trust you on this… and I’m here for you. Just let me know how I can help.”

Each declaration was a large sledgehammer to his resolve, breaking him down immensely when he wanted to stand tall by himself. He wanted to be the one to say those words and instill that calmness.

Hands splayed over his naked chest and he wanted to map out every muscle. They rested around his hips as he pulled himself up into Galo’s lap. Legs wrapped around his lower back and he felt proud of the small hitch in Galo’s breath. “I need you, Galo. I can’t do this alone.”

The next time he raised his head it was met with a hungrier Galo, slightly muffling his moan with his lips as his hands traveled down the small of his back. He tore free from the frantic kisses to breathe and stiffened with a light gasp when Galo kissed over his cheek down his jaw. He tilted his head back, squeezing his eyes shut as he let Galo chase that fire he’d started and was none the wiser to.

“Lio,” It rumbled naturally in Galo’s throat and Lio let loose a small whine.

It was okay to let things lie for a little longer.

* * *

The little puffs of hot breath over his lips slowly stirred Lio awake. The air was almost always cold when he awoke, eyelids raised slowly and then abruptly. Galo’s face was close enough to kiss with a calming peace washed over his features. His hair drooped over his pillow in the cutest of ways with lips parted to softly breathe. That warmth he searched for was finally here, slipping his eyes close again to revel in it.

How lovely it would have been to leave butterfly kisses over his lips until Galo woke up with his shared sleepy smile. To let his hands hold him safely and spend a lazy morning exploring each other’s bodies. But Galo, as Lio was learning each and every day, was harder to hold down than he initially thought.

Whatever wondrous miracle happened that let Lio wake up before Galo was going to be taken advantage of.

Slipping from the covers, he delicately stepped up and plucked Galo’s tossed shirt amongst the disarray of their clothes. A bone-deep satisfaction kept his smile up while he took the garment to the bathroom. The lights always hurt, too bright with no option to dim them, but he adjusted far quicker than his first few times.

The splotches of purple and bite marks close to his neck on either side felt like prized medals, feeling particularly smug that he’d unhinged Galo that badly. He couldn’t wait to see his work when Galo was up.

Pulling the shirt down over his bare chest, he turned off the lights and made his way to the kitchen. Of the things Galo taught him, the coffee maker was essential, pressing a few buttons to start the machine. He placed two mugs off to the side—Galo’s favorite, ‘Balls to the Wall’ and a mug he’d gotten for Lio that read, ‘Too Hot to Handle’ as a joke—and began rummaging through the pantry for that blue box he’d seen. The one with, ah, there it was.

He set it on the table and searched for that large square pan and placed it over the stove. Each dial had a darkened circle next to it as he thought for a long moment on which was the right to use. And even then, this thing did not spout fire, how did he know it was hot enough? Twisting the lower right knob, he set it to high. That should be enough.

The back of the box was thankful enough to supply instructions; two cups of the dry powder, a cup of milk and two eggs. He reached for his mug and scooped out two heavy cups of the mixture, followed after by the milk into a large bowl. Cracking the eggs was child’s play as he simply crushed them in his hand and let the goop seep in. Cooking wasn’t hard at all as he found one of their spoons and started to mix everything together.

If this was so easy, they should have been doing this back in their camps. He’d imagine a hot meal made from scratch would have brightened their faces much more than tins of prepared food, but there was always the risk of sitting too long.

Grasping the bowl under his arm, he continued to beat the eggs and whip the batter as he walked over to the door to the backyard. Rain pattered over the porch with grey cloudy skies welcoming him with a good morning.

Would it be like this from now on? Seeing his reflection cast by the window, how would he change in a year, two, five? Would he still be here? Doors were opening but he hoped this one would never close.

Stirring until the batter was smooth; he headed back over to the stove and checked the almighty box for guidance. A fourth of a cup… he reclaimed his mug just as the machine beeped with the last sputters of dark gold dripping into the coffee pot.

How did people understand this metric so easily? Figuring out how much batter he had in his mug was too aggravating, huffing as his bangs were beginning to annoy him. He puffed them up as they settled in the same spot.

The batter sizzled and hissed as it touched the pan, curdling at the edges in some sort of crazed dance. He smiled at the magic of technology and scooped out another portion. They weren’t really circles, but this was his first time. Galo would still love them.

“Liooo,” He was portioning a third serving when he heard his name slurred with sleepiness and felt Galo’s warm arms encase his front. One hand stayed over his chest while a naughtier one trailed further down to his stomach and morning breath tickled his cheek.

“Good morning yourself,” Lio leaned into the touches and turned his head to plant his own kiss. The second Galo caught in time to meet his lips, both smiling.

“You weren’t in bed,” Galo slightly pouted as he took it out on sliding his fingers down the V of his hips and Lio shivered.

“Now you know how it feels.” Thoughts were speeding off the longer he let Galo tune him like an instrument. He sucked in a sharp breath when his kisses trailed down his neck.

“You’re wearing my shirt,” Galo’s voice rumbled over his skin. “You look great. Always great.”

Just as he grabbed the spatula he flinched from Galo pressing into his back, staring over his shoulder with a funny smile. “I think you need it. Do you normally walk around your house bare-assed?”

“Sometimes,” Lio gasped when Galo’s hand reached back to pinch his rear, then grope over it. “Hmmm, someone’s underdressed too.”

His hands pressed over the counter as Lio hung his head, shuddering as his warm fingers soon brushed up his shirt. It was like he was reading his mind, biting down on his lower lip as Galo cupped his chest and slithered down to his crotch. “ _Galo_.”

Just as Lio was forgoing breakfast in favor of a different type, a shrill beeping snapped them off each other. Black smoke was trailing up from his pancakes and neither had time to speak or think as the edges ignited.

Galo screamed as Lio felt sucked towards the little flames, head swarming.

_Burn brighter, burn harder!_

Snatching the handle, his panic manifested into anger as he sharply turned to the sink and rammed the handle up.

“Stop!” The cold water hitting the flames and broiling pan unleashed grey smoke that flew into Lio’s face. He coughed and faltered back into Galo’s chest, who swiftly took control of the situation. His hard work of love was pushed into the sink and the pan back onto the stove with the dial returned to off.

“Jeez,” Galo breathed as the last of the smoke displaced and the buzzing beeping shut off. Lio stood off to the side with shame coloring his cheeks. There was an easy joke that could have been made and he was thankful Galo didn’t crack it.

“Sorry,” He murmured when he heard the faucet stop. Even in the nude, Galo didn’t break a sweat doing his job.

He turned halfway, ass still on display. “It was an accident. Luckily I was here.” He didn’t sound too reassured. “We can go over fire safety later for putting out kitchen fires.”

“There’s different ways?” Lio asked as he tried to keep his gaze off his pink cheeks.

“Just a few, but they’re easy to remember!” There was that bright tone of his firefighter spirit waking up. Galo surveyed the kitchen a little more. “Were you making breakfast?” He took his ‘balls to the wall’ cup and eyed the coffee machine as if something clicked. “For us?”

He hated how his ears burned. “I wanted to start pulling my weight around here.”

A glimpse of pity filled Galo’s vision. “Lio, you’re not a burden or anything. I want you here.”

Lio rudely held up a hand to stop Galo from continuing. “I know I’m not. Just that you do a lot for me already.” He loosely crossed his arms. “I want to pay you back for everything you’ve bought me. We could switch who cooks and you could teach me how to clean.”

“Really, it’s no big deal.”

“It is for me.” Lio huffed. “Especially when you’re gone and I’m stuck here by myself. You’ve done so much for me,” His heart beat greater thinking of the silver platter Galo presented and then some. “And you know I don’t like being idle. We’re in this together, and I want to help.”

Thoughts laid bare, he continued to stand in the kitchen as though he were issuing demands. That small almost lost pity vanished. “Yeah, we are. But I’m not letting you pay me back. Those were gifts and boyfriends don’t pay back gifts.”

Hearing it officially from Galo’s mouth sent a jolt up Lio’s spine. Galo looked lost again only to gain a dark expression when Lio commanded. “Say it again.”

Galo took a few hungry steps forward as his voice dipped into a honeyed tone. “Boyfriends. _My_ boyfriend.”

Like the snap of a shell, Lio couldn’t recall who was on the other first. Just that his legs were wrapped around Galo’s waist and their tongues were wrestling as to who was being stuffed. His hair was fluffed from Galo’s hand bracing his head and his shirt was caught between his chest with only the back trying to cover his pale ass.

Lio thought for sure Galo would use the counter and set him on it, but with a happy laugh he was being marched back to the bedroom. “No worming out of it. My turn this time.”

“Oh?” Lio tugged on his Mohawk and worked out a hiss that was addicting. “Think you can hold me down long enough? I thought you had work.”

“Nightshift.” It was all Lio needed to hear for the frenzy of fire to combust in his waist. From the way Galo grinned he fully realized the match he set in Galo last night and the full repercussions of it.

He was ready for the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,
> 
> Just a heads up that chapter updates might be a bit slower from now on. Life has started to pick up so I don't have as much time anymore to write. Hope you understand.


	11. Subconscious Realities

Lio couldn’t count how many cryptic dreams he’d had to bear witness to.

Floating down the street, he watched his body with growing concern sway down the sidewalk. He was still wearing Galo’s sweatshirt from the day before and the lights felt too real whenever a car crossed by.

“Where are you going?” He asked himself and got no response. He drifted in front of him just for his body to pass through with dull, sunken eyes. They’d been walking for what felt like hours with no clear destination in mind. But he knew his body had to be somewhere, they weren’t hesitating whenever they came across intersections.

Faded burn marks littered his entire body, curled around his toes and flared up over his eyes. Yet the longer Lio stared at them the more they appeared translucent, etched beneath his skin. He could feel a flickering, resonating hum coming from them. 

He never understood his dreams and wished he could just disconnect from them entirely. They were too cryptic or plain nightmarish, forcing him to relive every traumatic and harrowing moment of his life multiple times. Meis never put much thought into them, so when they became especially bothersome he’d seek Gueira out. For someone who didn’t like to think much, they could spend an hour or two trying to decipher what dreams meant. As he stated, he knew what it was like for every dream to vanish.

He’d ask him about this one for sure, it was too bizarre, which was saying something from his regular insanity.

Lio was simply here for the ride and sighed, waiting for something nonsensical to happen. Any moment and he’d be seeing origami crocodiles turning to ashes from their spewing flames or Meis and Gueira exploding into sand. Not like he hadn’t already.

Crossing the street with no disregard for the bright red handprint telling him to stop, his body lingered near the glass doors of a large and boxy building. Lio turned to try and find a sign of where they were, but by then he was unwillingly dragged inside, seamlessly phasing through the door.

A low rolling sound echoed farther in, and by his body’s side, they walked towards a short wall that formed a huge oval. A figure was there, gliding too fast to be a run or jog.

_I could hear the signs calling out from the portal of the fire_.

Lio’s breath hitched, knowing that song all too well.

_I am like a torch flickering in the wind, as the saying goes_.

It started as little fizzles at the stranger’s feet and then sparked as a trail of pink and purple flames licked the ground. Lio could finally see the wheels as the flames drew higher and he saw those large, circular glasses.

“ _Lost all my precious, rage ate me up. Endless forlornness had made me numb. I’d rather rise from here or should I hold onto my past_?”

Like a fiery ballerina, Heris rolled down the rink without a care to the polygonal fires that followed. Endless rage boiled up to Lio’s head only to hitch a breath when he noticed a dull glow beside him. The burns glowed and hummed as his body stayed perfectly still.

“ _We’ve burned to ashes, faded to grey. Return to the earth, yes, it’s meant to be. Uncertain flame of hope I found_ ,” With a slow twirl, hands shot up as the fires swirled in large curls. He could see the embers in her eyes and her innocent smile. “ _Will you lead me on the right track_?”

“Heris!” Lio snapped and recoiled when she suddenly stared right at him.

Eyes widened in abject horror. “L-Lio?!”

The flames frenzied and burst. A blinding pain smashed into his head and, like a candle blown out, he collapsed.

Lio seized a breath as his eyes snapped open and he surged up in bed. Heavy pants could not control his alerted mind. He was back in Galo’s room, the covers pulled over him in the dead of night. 3:12, the bright red numbers blared on the clock. Galo wasn’t going to be home till eight.

Lio nearly ripped the power cord out of the wall when snatching his phone. The bright light gave him a small headache, gritting through it as he ignored the bright smiling Galo giving him a thumbs up and opened to his texts.

Galo-

Galo are you there-

-Lio! What are you doing up?

-Have another nightmare? Just think of me cuddling you when I get home! >:D

Wheres heris-

-Uuuuh idk

Whats idk-

-I don’t know!

Then why did you use it-

-nvm

Speak english-

-Lemme ask Aina.

This was more than frustrating. Lio’s knee bounced over the mattress as every second Galo didn’t reply made him believe that running out of the house and finding her himself was the better option.

…

-Aina says she should be home. You know. Cause it’s 3 in the morning? Why are you asking?

-Also, you’re using your phone! :D Do you like it? I set your background for you. B) I should get a pic of you so we can match!

Lio growled and let out the rest in a frustrated sigh. He was _exhausted_.

Tell aina to tell heris im taking her up on her offer shell know what that means-

-K? Are you going to tell me what’s up?

Later-

-This isn’t a ‘later-but-I-mean-never’ type later is it? :/

Later-

-You’re telling me later. ‘We’re in this together, and I want to help’. 

He hated when Galo threw his own words back at him. Lio was already halfway typing out if Gueira was there, but knew better. He’d already alerted Galo to too much information, this was all just a hunch, but something felt wrong. He’d be back before Galo got home.

Covers thrown, Lio winced as his cheeks clenched with blunt pain. Galo didn’t need to get any satisfaction from this, wincing some more as he dug through the darkened room for clothes. He wasn’t going to give him the opportunity next time. Securing enough clothes to appear decent, he hurried down the hall and snatched his shoes and was out the door the next.

* * *

Gueira and Meis had some colorful vocabulary when he knocked on their door. Their cockiness was short-last as the moment they saw him on the ladder up to the attic they changed their tune.

“Boss!”

“Hey, uh, disregard that comment about your mother’s ass.”

Lio tossed the insult as he was let into the room. Seeing Meis without his tank top was just par for the course, but Gueira had taken their newfound privacy and was down to his boxers. “What’s up, boss?”

Neither looked too pleased, which was expected; if Lio had something to say in the recesses of the early morning it was never good news.

“I had a dream.” Was all he needed to say for both to get that look about them.

Meis snatched a pillow and blanket and cuddled close to the wall while Gueira grabbed the nearest folding chair and slammed it by the bed. “A dream, you say? Dr. Gueira is in.”

“Meis is out,” His companion yawned as he slapped Gueira’s hand. They’d left enough room for Lio to lay on the bed, despite his urges that he didn’t need to lay down.

“Now tell me, young King,” Gueira was laying it on thick as he flicked on a nearby lamp. “What troubles you this night?”

With nothing left to hide, Lio folded his hands over his stomach. “I was watching my body go somewhere, but outside of it. Kind of like a ghost.”

Gueira overly nodded his head with a few scholarly hums thrown in. “It sounds like you feel a loss of control. You can’t control even your body in your dreams.” His finger popped up. “Ooor you’re trying to become invisible. You feeling pressured with everyone’s eyes on you?”

Lio made a face. “Not as much.” He reflected a little deeper at all those eyes back at the meeting. “A little.”

“What else?”

“My body went to some building. It had a wall that came up to my chest blocking off a giant area.”

Gueira tapped his finger over his chin. “Yeah… that’s way too vague. Anything else?”

Lio’s fingers hooked together as he pictured her again. “I saw Heris. She was gliding on these small wheels on her feet and spreading fire.”

He didn’t want to look over to Gueira and see what face he was making, not when he said her name with grit. “Like, normal fire?”

“ _Burnish_ fire.” He finally sat up, bending one leg to lay his arm on. “Heris was burnish and singing _that_ song.”

Squaring Gueira on, he watched his eyebrows knit and his eyes sink. “Ah.”

Lio knew Meis was listening in when he held his breath. “I called her out, she freaked and then I woke up.”

Gueira reclined back into the metal folding chair, fingertips tapping together. “…Okay, so here’s my interpretation.” His left leg crossed over the other. “You’re feeling really stressed about the stuff you’ve promised since at that meeting. It’s a big list for sure, and it’s a lot of expectation to get it right. That’s on your mind.” He sat up. “Buuut you also are dealing with whatever this problem is with the promare and you got a grudge the size of the Parnassus over Heris.”

Lio shot him a dirty glance that Gueira matched with a scolding truth. “These things you can’t control at all. That’s why you saw Heris as a burnish; because it’s a combination of the two biggest stressors in your life and that’s why you had an out of body experience.”

Leg falling back to the ground, Gueira sat straight up. “My diagnosis? Stop trying to do everything by yourself and accept that there are some problems you can’t fix.”

It was like finding the perfect temperature in the shower. Lio breathed out a deep sigh. “You’re too good at this.”

“That’s why I don’t let him read me.” Meis muffled through his pillow.

Gueira sat back especially smug. “I’m still practicing my tarot card readings; just hit me up if you want to see your future.”

Comment aside, Lio laid back with the covers fluffing. “I don’t get it.”

“Get what?”

“The song… it was different.” The barren ceiling was only good for something to emptily stare at. “It wasn’t the same.”

Gueira gave a simple shrug. “Dreams can be weird.”

Meis rose halfway, hair draping over his face like a thick curtain. “Aren’t you supposed to be the dream guru?”

“My talent only goes so far.” Gueira feigned empathy to end with a cat’s smile. “You wanna stay the night, boss?”

The bed was already being patted by Meis. “It’s been a while since we all were smushed together.”

Tempting as it was, he had nothing else to add and the thought of worrying Galo with his absence a second time would have been too cruel. He kicked his leg and rose on the swing. “I need to get back. Thanks, Gueira.”

As he was shown back to the floor door, Gueira remarked. “You know… you could try giving Heris a chance. Sure it’d get your mind off it.”

He knew Gueira’s well intentions, turning back with an almost pathetic smile. “If all goes to plan, we’ll be seeing each other too soon.”

* * *

Too soon was exactly that. Lio stifled a yawn at the insanely small coffee table, trying not to appear so exhausted. Sleep did not come for him after he walked home and lay in bed. When Galo came back that Heris wanted to meet that morning he was out the door without a wink of rest. Heris’ hawk-eye gaze across the table wasn’t helping his mood and he knew his grouchy façade wasn’t helping hers. That innocent coffee break was long gone.

Neither wanted to meet up at the firehouse, so they settled on a bustling coffee shop to take their problems. The crowded atmosphere with equal parts soft and loud voices was just white noise for Lio, but he could clearly tell all the noise was getting to Heris.

“What made you change your mind?” She’d learned from the first time as Lio was thankful the useless conversation topics were gone.

“I had some time to think and cool off.” Better to start off with a hit to his ego. “I wanted to hear you out.”

“Hm,” Heris’ scalding gaze was as hot as his coffee. She stirred her chilled counterpart. “I don’t buy it. You wouldn’t associate yourself with someone who helped Kray Foresight.”

Lio had to bite his tongue as his words were thrown back into his face. “So you’re saying people can’t change?”

“Not you, Lio.” Heris’ gaze only grew sharper. “So out with it. ‘State your business’.”

The urge to seize control of the conversation boiled heavily under his skin. A long sip of his coffee, hot as it was, gave him some time to ebb away that innate desire. He didn’t even get the chance to marvel at how hot the coffee was or how it tasted leagues above the shit beverage they used to drink to stave off fatigue and insomnia. “I don’t like repeating myself. And you didn’t have to meet me here.”

Her stirring turned annoying, then stopped with an agitated sigh. “Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. We each ask a question and the other has to be truthful. I’ll even let you go first.”

His unsettling suspicions were right as she kept her cold composure. “What were you going to show me about the promare?”

Heris didn’t skip a beat. “I had detected abnormal frequencies still emanating from Mount Fennel. Upon a scouting trip out I realized it was merely the residual heat from the Promare dissipating. My findings proved unfruitful.”

Bullshit. But Lio stilled his tongue as Heris geared up for her strike. “Are you feeling any aftereffects of the promare?”

“No,” He struck just as precisely and as quick, needing another hot sip to refuel what little energy remained. Her face mirrored his. “Where were you last night?”

“I was home, gearing up for a night in to watch ‘Can you Love me’.” She recited as though she were reading a grocery list. “I nearly shed a tear during the season finale when Alejandra had returned from the shipwreck at sea only to find her fiancée, Jasmine, in bed with her sister.”

Lio was growing tired of this roundabout as Heris cleared her throat. “Where were _you_ last night?”

“Sleeping.”

She scoffed. “And I’m supposed to believe that?”

“What answer were you looking for?” His tone was cold as his tongue tasted hot caffeine.

The straw was stirred as neither took their eyes off the other. Could he afford to keep poking her? He tried his luck, slamming his cup a little too hard onto the table. “Are you burnish?”

The stirring stopped as Heris’ eyes widened in offense, then settled back into her defensive state. “I am not burnish.”

Unwavering with a monotone expression. Lio couldn’t grasp anything that could lead him one way or the other.

“You said it yourself,” The chair abruptly scooted out as Heris took her drink. “The promare is gone. Burnish no longer exist. Now that you have your answers, please refrain from contacting me.”

The urge to bark out and demand her to stay was smothered by his rational side, allowing Heris to leave as she pleased. Every step farther away felt like a huge mistake, but the evidence he lacked. All he had was a silly dream.

Gueira was smart like that.

With a tired and disappointed sip, Lio set down his coffee and reached for the flipped over tablet he’d brought along. Galo would be asleep for another few hours, and even he needed some time outside of the house. Unlocking the tablet, he sat back and prepared for a morning of complicated terms.

It was time he focused on the things he could control.

Frequent movement outside the window took his attention away. The billowing grey smoke urged him to rush out of his chair, table jittering as his coffee was forgotten. The crowds only allowed him access to the smoke as he pushed and shoved his way through, ignoring the clear outcries of his rudeness.

A couple of buildings down burned a convenience store. The windows were smashed with coolers dejectedly lying nearby and the bright orange flames within sang to the corrupted part of his mind. The iconic Burning Rescue wail was heard in the distance, encroaching fast but the panicked whispers of civilians were much louder.

Heris was a part of that crowd, staring into the fires with a hardened gaze he still couldn’t decipher. Galo’s concern rang like an alarm but his feet disobeyed, parting from the crowd to rush towards the fire.

“Don’t go in there!” His chest impacted with someone whose arms held him tight.

“There’s people in there!” Such struggling dwindled as it became harder to fight with the tablet in hand.

“Everyone’s out! It’s alright!” As he stopped focusing on escaping, he eyed up to the soot-covered man. The convenience store title sat above the worker’s name. “I… forgive me, boss.”

If the title wasn’t enough, he knew this man. He took a tentative step back as the man’s face scrunched closed to tears. “I tried my hardest to fight it… I’m sorry.”

The wails drowned out the rest of what the man said, the crowd parting to let the vehicle through. As the man collapsed into his arms, shaking with sobs, Lio turned back to the crowd with Heris absent.


	12. When We're Needed

Galo hated sitting at the firehouse. It was different than living at the firehouse on nights when he didn’t want to go home, long before Lio ever showed up in his life. The best days were when he got to hang at the firehouse with everyone on staff or deciding to stay a bit past clock out to reminisce or catch up on their outside lives.

But sitting, that was by far the worst. On the clock with not a wail or even a peep of the intercom alarming them to do their work. Paperwork he’d once shoved off not only had been completed but stacked neatly alongside everyone else’s. The fire truck gleaned from one too many polishes. The floor sparkled without an ounce of dirt or smudge.

Galo had worked out three times since he’d come in and questioned if he should start another round. He laid, baked and bored, on the only bed they kept in the main break room, trying to find something remotely amusing in the high ceiling. Even Lucia’s taps were slow, few and far in between.

“Galo,” He felt a nudge to his shoulder. “Move over. You’ve been laying down for an hour.”

All he could muster was moving his eyes to Aina’s equally sorry and bored expression, shoulders sagging. “Mooooove.”

His shoulder was nudged harder but couldn’t budge him an inch. “Can’t. Too bored.” His dragging voice suddenly snapped, arms and legs flailing. “Why aren’t we doing anything?! Where’s the fires?!”

With a huff, Aina fell right atop of Galo’s chest. He wheezed, trying to shove her off. “Get your own bed!”

“The guest room is too far away! You’ve had enough time lazing about!” Hands were thrown and Galo could never snag Aina. She was too squirmy and too fast, exemplified when her hand breached his defensive arms and pushed his head into the pillow.

“Finally, some entertainment.” Varys, nearly falling asleep on the couch last Galo checked, was peering to them roughhousing. His arms hung over the couch while Remi continuously scrolled through his tablet, no doubt looking for paperwork that he never missed.

“Hmmm, there was a car crash a few minutes ago.” Everyone perked up at Lucia’s comment. Aina’s shoe almost hit Galo’s elbow as they wiggled to sit up. “But it was in District eight’s area.”

The hope deflated instantaneously until Lucia gasped. “There’s a fire right near us! Hotdog stand!”

Galo would take anything, excitement charging his veins as he leaped out of bed. “Let’s go! Our burning souls mu—!”

“Ah, nevermind. The fire hydrant nearby put it out.” His limbs dropped like heavy sacks of rocks, and with a curt turn of his head, Aina had taken up the rest of the bed. She was settling in and popping in her earbuds, slipping down her sunglasses.

“What were you expecting?” Remi finally spoke up, setting his tablet over his lap. “You put out the world’s greatest fire and everyone who could conjure it. Things won’t be like they use to.”

“Not to mention the Parnassus teardown is going a lot faster than we anticipated.” Lucia threw in. “You could always beg Ignis to put you back out with the volunteers.”

“Reminds me,” Varys glanced down to Remi. “How did that meeting go yesterday?”

It wasn’t uncommon for Ignis to pull Remi away for a quick briefing or meeting. It was strange, however, when Ignis called for Lucia as well and all three left somewhere for hours. Remi’s eyes shot down to his tablet. “It was fine. You know, normal procedures.”

“That’s a bad lie.” Lucia swiveled her chair to the rest. Aina sat up from the long-expression. “They should know.”

“Lucia,” Remi started as her eyebrows hunched down.

“It concerns all of us. What good does it do to keep them out?” She didn’t even wait for an answer, addressing the room. “We had a huge conference at the Capital. Every district Captain was there. They’re shutting down half of the districts.”

“ _Half_?” Aina floundered to sit upright as Varys leaned forward so much he almost fell off the couch.

Galo’s mouth fell open and refused to close. “That’s hundreds of jobs! What about the city?!”

“They’re also cutting funding.” Lucia glumly added to the shit cake. “Governor Biar doesn’t see a need for all of us anymore, now that burnish are extinct. We don’t need the funds to build giant mechs or freeze machine guns.”

Remi turned his head away and Galo couldn’t blame him. Ignis was out picking up his daughter, but what Lucia was spouting was clearly supposed to be confidential. “Our district isn’t getting hit, yet, but she already had a list drawn up of the ones that would close. Once the Parnassus is completely torn down, it’ll go into effect.”

The room had gone incredibly cold. Aina’s music was still screeching through the tiny buds as her hands fell, sunglasses sliding down the bridge of her nose. Galo’s legs were trembling, the searing heat of his burning soul trying to core him completely. “That’s a lie!”

Lucia flinched back into her chair. “We’re Promepolis’ defenders, the people need us! She can’t just lay off half the force!”

“She can,” Galo snapped back as the rest of the squad’s eyes ballooned. Ignis shed his coat, sounding equally disgruntled. “And she is. The board has her back on this.”

“Sir,” Remi began as Ignis held up a hand.

“It’s fine. I knew this would get around.” He kept walking until he squared up against Galo. Bubbling anger swamped his throat before Ignis placed his hand over Galo’s shoulder. “The world was a different place thirty years ago. Fire trucks didn’t have cannon launchers but ladders. Water had to be drawn from fire hydrants. We didn’t even think to use ice as a weapon. Since the Great World Blaze, we had to step up our game to combat the burnish. Now… it’s time to return to those past procedures.”

Galo blinked once, then twice and he felt a hot tear form in the corner of his eye. Something inside his soul soured at those far off ‘good ol’ days’. “I can guarantee you all your jobs. But in two… three years… I don’t know if I can.”

A hard slap threw Ignis’ hand off his shoulder and down the station he bolted. He heard the others cry his name but his skin burned as much as his frenzied mind. Anything he said now would have been irreversible and he wanted no one around to hear them.

His bike thrummed and he bolted out of the firehouse, down the busy streets and off towards the mountains opposite of the waste. The lake always calmed him down, even in his toughest moments. But as he slowed through the thicket and peered beyond the trees, a giant crater greeted him instead.

The walk down to the edge was as hollow as his mind, peering meters down to the charred earth. Not a single spec remained; it almost felt like a dream what they’d found.

He sat by the edge, legs pulled up and his mind stubbornly wouldn’t let him grieve. It felt as numb as everything else, suddenly seeing Kray in his mind’s eye. That familiar loneliness all his life nipped at his toes for reentrance.

They’d saved the world… why were they being punished? All his life, he was meant to serve and protect. But if he was on the chopping block in those two, three years… Galo slapped his cheeks, harshly muttering. “Pull yourself together!”

He couldn’t think backward. It would be as bad as choosing Kray over Lio as he rose to his feet. Lio… he wanted to see him so badly. Any moment he expected him to round around the trees asking why he looked so glum but passing by he wasn’t there. Lio would only be there as much as he allowed it.

Right now, he wanted to lay his heart completely bare. And that’s exactly what he’d do, bouncing back up on his bike and leaving his one consolidation.

He rode hard, weaving around traffic the moment he entered the city and stopped almost on a dime at his place. Keys jingled as he unlocked the front door and pushed it a little too fast. He couldn’t even get his name out before they connected eyes and there he was.

He’d migrated to his couch now, holding a tablet with a document that was soon shut off. Lio was up on his feet, crossing the threshold. “What’s wrong? You’re supposed to be at work.”

If he’d been wearing his clothes Galo wouldn’t have been able to hold himself together, so he was thankful just this once he was wearing an outfit he’d bought.

Without hesitation, he swept Lio up into his arms, almost pulling him off his feet in a tight bear hug. Once he felt Lio’s arms cradle his shoulder blades the world felt better. Not perfect, but better. “Galo?”

“I just need this…” He responded, withdrawing enough to brush locks over Lio’s ear. “Governor Biar is shutting down half our districts and cutting our funding.”

Lio gained that same look he felt as it grew more solemn. “I can see her reasoning. Still, that’s upsetting to hear.”

Lio’s gloved hand ran over his arm and sent goosebumps up to his shoulder. Everything about Lio was so elegant and transparent, down to the way his rosy eyes reflected concern for him. “Is it your district?”

“No, we’re okay.” Saying that should have reaffirmed his own resolution, saddened that he felt nothing saying it. “But in time… our team might dwindle.”

That little punch in Lio’s gaze was felt in him too. “I’m so sorry.” He felt down Lio’s back, letting his fingers take what they wanted for comfort as Lio rested a hand over his chest. “It might be best then… to put off that training.”

Galo stubbornly shook his head. “No, we’re still doing it.”

Lio’s hands stopped around his hips. Galo leaned in to hide his face in the crook of his neck, giving a short kiss that he felt in the hitch of his breath. He would have left more if Lio hadn’t taken his shoulders and forced him to stand tall. “I know you would have liked me to join Burning Rescue, but your job is already unstable.”

“I don’t care,” Galo found Lio’s hands, cupping them inside his own between their chests. “I might be the Great Galo Thymos and I might have Burning Rescue, but I want you too.” He brushed over his lower lip with his teeth. “I want you to have my back. And I still think this’ll help you combat your own problems.”

Heart now exposed, he didn’t have to wait long for Lio to respond, feeling his hands slip away to now cup his. “You’ve got a way with words…”

Their shared kiss felt like fireflies in the summer, radiant in the quietest of places. A simple touch of Lio’s hand on his cheek and the tension was lost, feeling Lio’s smile that brought about his own. Things would be fine if he had Lio, his beloved by his side. That’s all he needed to worry about.

“So Ignis gave you the rest of the day off?” Lio asked when he pulled back. There was a glint in his eye as his finger hooked over his collar.

Galo so desperately wanted to chase Lio further in as Lio’s question hit like a brick. “I uh… ran off… crap, I didn’t even clock off!”

Any eluded charm dwindled into pure idiocy as Lio sighed. “Go back to work.”

The sudden ring of his phone disrupted his responsibilities. He checked the incoming text from Ignis and suddenly felt even more foolish. “Captain just gave me the rest of the day off with pay. But I gotta do double time tomorrow.”

“In that case,” Lio’s hands splayed across his chest again as he brushed closer. “Did you have anything in mind for the rest of the day?”

Lio’s touch always sent jitters, feeling like he earned them. “Yup! We’re going to start your training right now!”

The amusement tingeing Lio’s cheeks were gone but Galo paid no mind. He was already hurrying through his house to gather the necessary supplies. “Just leave it to me! I’ll call you out back when we’re ready!”

Today would be a good day. So long as he kept his head high with Lio always by his side.

* * *

The backyard was properly setup. A fire extinguisher was nearby, an area dug out where fires couldn’t easily spread, and there was no burn-ban going on, which was the most crucial thing to remember. Galo couldn’t have been prouder of his training grounds. “Alright, Lio! You ready to set your soul on fire?”

Lio was still occupied with the freeze pistol Galo had supplied him. It looked heavy in his hands, backed only by the hesitant expression. “This is lighter than I imagined.”

His resolve steeled as he took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

“Great! Let’s go over gun safety.” He rounded to Lio’s side, gently touching over his wrists. “One thing you have to always assume is the gun is loaded. So always keep it aimed away from people, objects, and try to keep it down whenever you can. The last thing you want is some poor pedestrian ending up an icicle!”

“Like us?” Lio quirked an eyebrow but lowered his weapon down to his side.

“How cold was it for you?” Galo propped Lio’s arms back up, molding his fingers where he needed them to rest.

He gave a light shrug back. “It stung for a little, but then it just became numb. It really wasn’t binding so much as it was an annoyance to burn off.”

“Wait,” Galo stood up. “You mean… then why didn’t Gueira and Meis do that?”

The stare shared felt like another disconnect. “We let you capture us. You didn’t know that?”

“What?!” His surefire cockiness from their humble beginnings felt so wasted. “Why?!”

Lio relayed the information as though he were discussing an article in the newspaper. “We needed to figure out a way into the facility and where they were holding the burnish. We’d spent months going over our escape routes and tinkering with freeze force cuffs. Even did some research on what district we wanted to capture us.” He gave a soft smile. “I wasn’t expecting such an inferno that day. You made it seem very convincing.”

“Lio… that’s so not fair!” A withering fire sputtered through his chest. “Then we never had a balls-to-the-wall fight! You went easy on me! That medal feels even worse now!”

Not even Lio’s pat over his back felt right. “But we fought together to take down Krayzor X. You got to see me at my best then.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same!” He crossed his arms. “I don’t want to fight you. But I want to fight you!”

Lio took his hand back. “That makes no sense.”

“I need you to come at me with all you got! But not the type of fighting where we just yell and get upset. The kind where we punch and see who’s stronger!” He pumped his fist up and cupped his bicep. “A fight for the ages!”

He’d hoped to ignite that lovable spark in Lio that always complimented his own. To his dismay, he couldn’t find that glint as Lio held the gun sideways over his chest. “It wouldn’t feel right taking you down at such a disadvantage. When I have my Promare again we can fight.”

“That’s never going to happen!” Both of them knew it, but Lio didn’t waver.

They went right back to basics, how to hold his arms, how wide his stance needed to be and exactly where to place his fingers. The barrel was pointed right to the dug ground with a tent of wood. Galo stepped around Lio with an affirmative nod. “You’re all set! You look ready to combat some fires!”

“Am I going to combat any?” Lio asked in a bit of a snarky tone.

Galo didn’t take offense. “Definitely! I’ll even let you light it, just this once!”

Lio didn’t falter from his pristine pose. “…With what?”

“With your li—” His voice caught in his throat at their problem. “Oh. I’ve never run into a problem where I’ve had to light something on fire.”

There was little solution he could come up with as Lio lost his pose. “Well then, good thing you have me around.”

Pistol lightly tossed, Lio strolled past and grabbed a small stick as Galo fumbled to catch it. “Don’t just throw your pistol!”

“Sorry,” It wasn’t sincere at all as Lio took charge, heading back into the small abode. The burner was set to high as Lio placed the wood over the coils.

The proud firefighter in him wanted to take that stick and snap it in half, but just this once he’d quiet that voice and let Lio be the arsonist he was. It took a couple of minutes of dully waiting and boorishly standing till smoke started to waft from the wood. The spark of fire soon after lit Lio’s eyes and lit Galo’s nerves on fire.

Hastily, they both hurried back out and lit the rest of the kindling, giving it the time it needed to roar into a mighty flame. Lio was just as careless tossing the stick into the fires but didn’t move away. The once-proud confidence Lio asserted in his house was nearly gone as dread started to set into his features.

Galo came close, hands around Lio’s waist as he felt him twitch to look back. “You got this, firebug.”

Taking a deep exhale, Lio walked back with Galo until he knew he would be okay and wouldn’t make a mad sprint towards the bonfire. Pistol changed hands as Lio took back Galo’s posture, helped by Galo adjusting his limbs with quiet thanks. He stood by Lio’s side, eyeing the rising fires and the crackling of deadwood. “Whenever you’re re—”

Lio jerked back as the piercing crack of the pistol firing shocked Galo like a punch to the nose. He was able to recover in time to lunge forward and catch Lio on his fall. “You okay?”

The expression Lio wore was too precious, startled and caught off guard as it was soon hidden by his usual stern look. “Wasn’t expecting that much power.”

“It packs a big punch.” Galo motioned with his fist up as he helped his boyfriend back to his feet.

The fire stood no chance against the blast, the wood half-stuck in a frenzied explosion encased by ice. Lio marveled at the statue and looked down at his pistol. “No kidding.”

He began fiddling with the side, hitting it with his palm. “What’s in this? Bullets?” With enough jittering Lio nearly froze his foot as the wayward blast hit a few feet away. The gun sunk into the grass as Galo, over the initial shock, laughed.

He had to wonder if he had been like this when he first acquired his promare. “Aw, don’t be sour, firebug. I’ll even let you light the next fire.”

If Lio was as much of a natural as Galo knew he was, he’d be by his side before spring blossomed.


	13. Someone Else

A celebratory dinner was in order that coincidentally was also a great first date spot when Galo slowed his bike right at the curb to his favorite pizza parlor. It’d taken quite a hit ever since Maurice was exposed as a burnish, so they had more booths and tables to choose from. However, even on a busy Friday night, a few families and young couples were finding seats, and that was enough for Galo to know it’d heal.

“So what’s with you and pizza?” Lio had caught his attention from the nightlife just right outside their glowing window. The city looked all the same as if it hadn’t nearly been on the verge of all being destroyed in one night. The news hit hard when Heris went public with the Parnassus plans, yet nothing really changed.

“What? It’s a good cheat day meal!” Galo’s fingers brushed over carvings in the wooden table, most of it illegible. He couldn’t help but scrape his nail along the edges of silly confessions of young love. “Don’t tell me you’re getting tired of it. If you are, I don’t know if this’ll work out.”

“So I’m your second love?” Lio asked with a cock of his head just as the steaming pizza arrived. He noticed the off stare between the two as they both quietly murmured thanks and to enjoy their meal. He wouldn’t question it, already reaching for a slice just as his hand was slapped. “You didn’t answer me.”

“My heart is big enough for a lot of things.” He tried sneaking underneath his gloved defense but was met with a hardier but painless whack. He recoiled and held it close to his chest. “Hey! I’m paying!”

Meanwhile, Lio helped himself to a slice, the oozing cheese pulling as a glob fell back onto the platter. “Are you trying to make me jealous of this?” He held it aloft, enticing Galo to lean forward with mouth open. It was like he was stalking up to the prey, staring one another down until Galo went for it. He lunged forward with a snap only to taste the air.

Lio looked as smug as he felt challenged when he took his slice and bit into it. “How far would you go to save it, hm? Would you drill through a massive spaceship and perform CPR?”

“I told you, that was a kiss.” He didn’t feel so silly admitting it now, garnering a fondness in Lio’s smile. The bitten pizza was offered as Galo waved a hand. “I don’t want your leftovers.”

He went to take his own slice and was relieved Lio was done with his game. The cheese didn’t have as impressive of a stretch as it cooled but the hot sauce brought all the heat he wanted. “That was still impressive. Syncing up to a burnish’s flame is more complex than it looks. Yet you managed to do it on your first try.”

“What’d I tell you? Burning soul!” He answered through a mouthful of pizza, which sounded more like, “Whtd mph yuu? Brnng suul!”

Lio ate his slice much slower as Galo was already reaching for his second. His eyelids fell halfway. “I wish I could have been conscious. Maybe… hm.”

“What?” He stopped shoveling pizza, midway through ripping his slice. “You want more kisses?”

Lio gave him a cute look as he laid his slice and sat his head in between his fingers. “I just think sometimes what it’d been like if you’d been burnish too. Your charisma, you constantly shouting about your ‘burning soul’ and you were so sudden to extend a hand to help us. It just ticks all the boxes for a good burnish.”

Maybe he’d been searching for that same underlying peace in Galo, but all he felt was the scraps of pizza in his stomach. “Well… I would have been driven out of the city… how early are we talking?”

“I’m not putting that much thought into it.” Lio shook his head. “But you would have gotten along with Gueira and Meis. I could see you making sure our convoy was safe and had a meal. Times were tough, but you’d survive them, hell,” His shoulders shrugged. “Maybe you would have found a thrill living in the Waste. The plains were large and vast. You could ride to your heart’s content and unleash your flames to its greatest potential.”

“And that’s not putting a lot of thought into it?” He didn’t rib too hard, allowing Lio this nostalgia as he reached for his water. “Would you have still been a hard ass with me?”

Lio gave him a smartass look as he angled his eyes back down to the table. He sacrificed one hand to draw a triangle. “With your attitude? Probably, but I’ve always been sympathetic to my kind. There was no reason for infighting when the world was out to get us. We had to be strong together.”

It was plain as day in the soft but strong murmur of his voice that the pain was still there. He placed his slice off to the side and met Lio’s idling finger with his palm. His fingers were always cold, even with his gloves, knowing Lio was missing that warmth tenfold than he ever could. “It’s okay to reminisce.”

Lio didn’t shy away from his touch and peeked up at him. “I’m fine. Just thinking about the what-ifs.”

Their hands parted as Lio retook his half-eaten slice as he did the same. His phone suddenly rang, spooking Lio enough to clutch his piece too tightly. He fumbled with pizza in hand to get it out of his pocket, eyeing the ID and immediately answering. “Captain! Where’s the fire?”

“Is Lio with you?”

He eyed Lio directly and nodded. “…Oh, yes! He’s here.”

“Bring him over to the burnish apartments. I have a few questions I’d like to ask him.”

Galo set his cold piece down, a ball of nerves collecting in the pit of his stomach. “What’s the damage?”

“Arson and vandalism, but it’d be more helpful if you came over now.”

“…Got it.” As he ended the call he noticed Lio was avoiding the crust, eyeing him. 

The abrupt rise from his seat had Lio following suit. “I heard Ignis. An emergency?”

“Yeah,” He gave a slight nod and then grabbed Lio’s jacket for him. “Captain wants to see you right away. There’s been damage to the burnish apartments.”

For a split second, he saw that distrust when they’d first met, voice low. “Do you suspect me?”

“No,” He firmly responded just as fast without a doubt in his mind. “I know you wouldn’t sabotage your own people like that. And if anyone tries,” He stepped back over and placed his hand over his head. “They’ll be talking to me.”

Although Lio had pushed his hand off, there was not a trace of that mistrust left in his warm features. He stole his jacket back and slipped into it. “Then let’s go.”

After leaving a small wad of cash and vowing to return before the night was over, they were back on his bike and speeding down the streets before either could blink. Galo really disliked speeding in Promepolis, primarily because it was dangerous and he used to have his reputation to uphold to Kray, but in emergencies like this he could force himself to go five above. Though he could live without Lio ribbing him every moment they stopped at a light.

“That’s as fast as you can go? I’m driving next time.”

“You’re part of the authority and this is an emergency.”

“If you’d just cut through the park you’d save so much time.”

Unlike most of the housing population, the burnish apartments were stuck on the outside perimeter of the city near the Waste. One could easily pass it off as having no room in the compacted city, which Galo could whole-heartedly believe, but the fact they built it on the side of sand and dry heat than where the mountain brook babbled said enough.

As they pulled up he could already spot his unit’s mobile along with the three large buildings situated in a triangle. Two of them seemed ready to open with the third only halfway complete, leaving the giant metal bars and infrastructure exposed.

Galo rolled up close as he spotted Ignis at the same time he did. The bottom two floors were already scorched with patches of ice clearing a path but the third still burned on through the open windows.

He could feel Lio’s hands tighten over his jacket as he nudged him to get off. “What’re your orders?”

Lio broadened his stance when facing off Ignis, neither saying anything for a solid second. Then he nudged his head. “Walk with me.”

Galo parked his bike and trailed after the two as they stepped into the lobby of the center building. No furniture resided but glass littered the inside and the tile floors had taken a beating with scratch marks and little cracks.

Ignis rustled out a flashlight from his pocket and shined it on the back wall. “We found this after clearing the first floor.”

Galo felt his shoulders sag once the light touched the graffiti wall. Along with a string of uneasy remarks of rising back up and not to be messed with, standing large and proud amongst the many was a bleeding title; Neo Mad Burnish.

“Sir, Lio didn’t do this!” Galo blurted out a little too loudly. “He’d been with me the entire night!”

“I know,” Ignis calmly stated then thrust a thumb behind them. “You’re off the clock. Go back to the mobile.”

With no term for arguing, Galo stuffed his hands in his pockets, kicked a small pebble, and booked it out of the lobby back outside. He could still feel the smoke clinging to his clothes and rustled his Mohawk.

Aina sat with one leg up at the mobile entrance, head stuck in only to pop out. “Galo!”

As she waved him over he could hear the familiar tapping of Lucia’s keyboard and then the rolling of her chair. “It’s Mr. Snail himself! Remi and Varys are almost done on the third floor.”

“Only three floors?” Aina nodded at his question.

“It’s still pretty bad. I doubt this won’t get on the news.” She settled both legs off the side of the mobile as her smile grew worrisome. “How are you feeling?”

“Kind of pissed.” Galo crossed his arms with a huff. “The one day I’m off and we finally have a fire! But if I was here then Lio and I wouldn’t have had our date night! It’s like being dangled two slabs of bacon and being told you can’t have either!”

“Try again, Aina.” Lucia droned.

She seemed equally as tired. “Well, that does suck. But I meant more about… earlier.” It took him a couple of seconds to think that far back, unable to talk before Aina answered for him. “You didn’t think about it.”

“Uh yeah, I did! I went to the lake to cool off like normal!”

“With what lake?” Aina outstretched her arms as Galo crossed his arms tighter. “Did you even tell Lio?”

He nodded his head rapidly as though he were a child. “He knows! But we didn’t linger on it because what good does that do?”

“Galo,” Aina slumped over her legs, propping her head up on her hand.

Galo didn’t know what she’d said next when Varys’ cry echoed through the night. Remi and Varys stomped back other as Ignis and Lio were in tow. “Fires are all put out!”

“Welcome back,” Lucia threw over her shoulder and scooted her chair closer to the exit. Vinny was enjoying a small slab of cheese on her lap. “Any other vandalism?”

“Not much to talk about,” Remi concluded as he holstered his pistol. “It seems to me they went gung-ho in the lobby and got tired and less enthused the higher they went.”

“Still bad,” Varys grumbled, even though he seemed to be in great spirits from getting out onto the field. Galo wanted that so badly. “If this gets out there’s gonna be a lot of trouble.”

“It’ll have to be reported.” Even Ignis didn’t sound delighted as they were already done. Whatever the two talked about didn’t put any ease on the Captain’s features.

Lio mutely skirted by the rest and over to Galo, brushing shoulders. “Let’s go.”

Galo turned as Lio kept walking back to the bike. “What did you two talk about?”

“I said let’s go.” His snap and hard gaze said enough. There was a sweltering fury in his eyes that Galo was thankful he wasn’t on the opposite end of.

He turned back to his team and still took a step back. “Sorry about that, guys. He’s really not like this.”

“Yeah, yeah, go back to your date night.” Aina shooed him off.

“Will do!”

“Galo,” As he turned he gazed back to Ignis right by his side. His voice quieted to a whisper. “Keep an eye on him. I think he’s going to do something stupid.”

His budding enthusiasm died, staring over to Lio who was impatiently waiting by his bike. He simply nodded, felt Ignis pat his back, and sent off.

Then, all he heard was an ear-shattering blast and white noise. Without thought, he sprinted and tackled into Lio as they both hit the ground and rolled. His upper arms took a beating with the gravel but nothing that he wasn’t used to as his back was hit the hardest by the wave of impact.

He could feel Lio clawing at his chest but he held tight until the ground stopped shaking and the ringing in his ears died down to the wails of the mobile. As he drew upward his heart stopped and an icy chill ran down his entire body. The fourth floor was completely engulfed in fire; spewing out of the broken windows and reaching out to lick at the stone. The flames acted strangely, they rolled like polygons and were tinged pink with shifting reds.

“Burnish…” Lio said it first, frozen solid in his grasp. His eyes were larger than his head and his voice stuttered. “The Promare…”

The ability to speak rammed into his skull with a pileup of a hundred questions. “But how?!”

“Galo!” The moment he heard Captain’s cry he was up. He set Lio down and was bolting to the mobile. Aina’s jet was already rising into the air, lights beaming through the thickening black smoke as Remi and Varys were piling into the entrance.

He jumped in after them to Lucia’s mad typing and Vinny’s frightened squeaks. “The entire fourth floor has been engulfed! Making headway up into the higher floors!”

“Do you think it’s a burnish?!” Galo slammed down onto his seat and tugged hard at his seatbelts.

“It’s not supposed to be!” It was almost impossible to hear her voice over the wailing and furious typing. The flaming floor blazed onto the screen with the whirling and furious mechanical groaning of the canon launcher turning. As the crossfire lined up Lucia slammed down onto her keyboard, startling Vinny to scurry back up her arm. “Fire!”

The mobile shuddered and jerked only to rattle as the combat block of ice collided into the side. As the fires shifted and wriggled Galo knew the mobile wouldn’t be enough. The massive head of the hellish snakes formed and took a bite of the ice, soon followed by its brethren dismantling the pieces. “You gotta launch us!”

Another tremor that was no doubt the fifth floor going up raised his voice. “Lucia! Launch us!”

“I heard you the first time!” With another slam of her button, Galo felt the other two pods be taken first. There was no friendly fist-bump on Varys and Remi’s way out, signaling at the moment when their mechs were suited up and dispatched.

As Galo felt the crane latch onto his unit Lio stuttered to a stop in front of Lucia’s keyboard. “What can I do to help?!”

“Lio?!” The last thing he saw before his capsule closed completely was Lucia turning his way, leg crossed over one another.

“Took you long enough.”

His vision blackened only for the backup mint lights to shine as Ignis’s voice came over the intercom. “Lucia’s launching you straight into your Matoi Tech. When we arrived there was a contract group over in building two that left after we arrived. Remi and Varys reported no people in building one.”

“But you know how contract work is.” Lucia’s added. Another jostle made him grip the edges of his seat. “I’m launching you to the sixth floor. Aina will be scouting the other buildings in case this spreads.”

“Got it!” He wouldn’t try to fight her decision yet; fighting burnish fires was just the perk to saving lives. “Oh, and tell Lio not to worry! My burning soul—!”

“Lucia, have you found the source of the fires?” Ignis’ voice came over.

“Not yet.” Lucia’s voice was clipped and without so much as a warning, he was fired off. The inertia from zero to a hundred was always the worst part; it felt as though someone took his brain and smashed it into concrete. Nothing Lucia could or would really do about it, but the moment he soared out from the barrel was always worth the pain.

In an instant, he felt his unit hiss and burst apart as his trusty Matoi dismantled and secured over his body like a glove. He clipped part of the top of the window on his way in, skidding on his wheels and sharply curving to avoid a sudden jutting wall.

“I’m in!” Galo yelled out. The walls were saved for the time being but he could feel the rising heat and smoke underneath him.

“There’s burnish fire everywhere!” Remi’s voice sounded off as his sweat-laden face popped up on his visor.

Lucia’s little tower drone popped off and hovered beside him with its small light showing off the dust-laden air. “I’m not detecting anyone on this floor. Keep going up.”

For a split second, he wanted to complain about being right underneath the action but thoroughly slapped that side of him silly. “Got it! How’s Lio?”

“Don’t worry about him.”

“Can I talk to him?” He started running towards the clear exit sign but froze and realized he was too massive in his suit.

“Focus, Galo.” Ignis’ tone weighed harder with his authority. “Lucia, how are your scanners?”

“It’s taking a moment. All these walls take time to penetrate.”

Aiming the end of his Matoi rod up towards the ceiling, he let off a barrage of ice and ducked his head as debris and floor came tumbling down. “Maaaan, should have just launched me into the right floor. My entry was lame.”

“You’re la—wait, there’s someone in here! Seventh floor, right above you!”

“There’s someone here?” Varys’ questioned as Galo could hear the distinct shrill of the fires and his grunt. “Who leaves a worker behind?”

“They aren’t forgotten anymore!” Pulling himself up, he rolled and triumphantly got back onto his feet, striking a small pose on the cold and dark floor. “Never fear, civilian! Galo Thymos is here to rescue you!”

The flying drone could only provide so much light as he stomped his way in. “Which way to the worker?”

“They’re nearby…” Lucia murmured.

With a simple flip of a switch, his siren lights spun and sounded, trying to be as flashy as possible as he bent one knee and slung his rod over his shoulder. “Do not fear, Burning Rescue is here to keep you safe!”

As the red and blue beams flashed through the room he saw a glimpse of the individual. He could see their head resting over one of the lounge couches. “Oi! Over here!”

When they didn’t move he came over. “No time for resting, we gotta leave!”

“Galo, wait! It’s a trap!” Lucia’s yell came too late as the wall he passed by suddenly burst by magenta hell. The snakes dive-bombed into his chest as he was flung into the couches.

He could feel the searing intensity wrap around his limbs and hold him down with a shifting snakehead baring its fangs right above his visor. His arms left the robotic sleeves as he rose the visor and cocked his pistol, letting the demonic beast eat several bullets of freeze. Encased in ice, Galo hadn’t seen the other two that rushed in and tossed away his pistol. “Dammit!”

“Galo’s down on the seventh floor!”

“Remi! Varys! Get to Galo!”

“We’re coming up!”

“Hang in there, Galo!”

“Galo Thymos.” The icy voice he didn’t recognize spoke from beyond the fires. They sauntered up, tall and imposing, and Galo could _never_ forget that armor. It was beauty incarnate on the battlefield with ghostly horns that melted into its permanent grin.

Lio had lovingly given it a name and now Detroit stared down upon him with one hand atop one of the flickering snakes. A voice that definitely wasn’t Lio’s slithered through the locked teeth, as though it was trying too hard to hit his low tone. “You’re not needed here. Leave, and let me clean up this mess.”

“You created this mess!” Galo spat. Unlike his normal enthusiasm, all he felt was a rage that was churning into disgust. “And how dare you impersonate Lio! If you’re going to cause trouble do it as yourself, Mr. Neo Mad Burnish!”

“I don’t expect you to understand. Not now.” Mr. Neo Mad Burnish answered. “They need a symbol. And if Mr. Fotia won’t step up, someone else will have to.”

A plume of rainbow fire flicked in their open palm. “It’s only a matter of time.”

The shifting colors brought him back to the rage manifested by Lio on that fateful night and immediately Galo knew that none of this could have been staged or faked. He grit his teeth and ripped his arm free of his bondage, ramming his rod straight at the decoy and pulling back the trigger.

The blast of ice loosened his ensnare as he jumped back to his feet, wielding his rod to his side with palm open and towards the fake. “I won’t let you harm this city! And I won’t let you drag Lio’s name through the mud! He’s going to be the ambassador of the ex-burnish and he’s going to take care of them!”

“Ambassador? Hah!” The fake had managed to dodge the next round of bullets, swiveling on its heels as a tidal wave of promare manifested. “He’s only worsening their suffering!”

At the sharp turn, the wave of promare crashed and came right at him. Screeching, his suit lurched as he glided towards the fires, launching up and over with a tumble. The ripping heat of the promare set him back weeks ago as he felt his adrenaline pump. “We’re just not gonna stand by and let you do what you want!”

His rod swung down with the hooked end nearly snagging the copy but just missing by a hair. It jumped back and with another burst of promare blinding him it turned and fled down the hall. “Don’t just run from the fight! Lio would never do that!”

He was already on their trail, pushing his Matoi to gain speed. “You’re a terrible Detroit!”

Down the hall they ran till Galo saw the massive blue equipment of Remi’s machine guns skid to a stop at the end of the hall. “Found him!”

“Remi!” Galo was already ducking into an unfinished apartment as the ice bullets flew. He poked his head out enough to watch the fake backflip and kick a small flare up that burst a massive hole in the ceiling. Its feet caught fire and up it soared as Galo noted the lack of detail in its back. “ _And_ you can’t even get the suit right!”

“Varys is already heading for the eighth floor.” As soon as Remi spoke they both watched a larger ball of promare land with a thud onto the ground.

His tires almost skidded out making such a sharp turn out of the apartment, heading straight for the ball and jumping over it. “You’re not getting away!”

He’d cleared the next floor as the explosion wrecked his back, hitting him up into the ceiling and nearly through it. His suit landed in a heap of parts as he struggled to get up, feeling an uncomfortable burn in his back. “Are you mad?!”

“I’m okay!” He yelled but knew the suit would have to go in for repairs. The fact he could still stand was enough to continue.

A barrier of rock-hard promare barred Galo from going back down as Remi popped up on his screen. “You idiot! Pull a stunt like that again and you’ll be fried!”

But he wasn’t listening as he ducked at the curving snakes trying to make a snack out of him. The fake was only yards away, throwing its hand up to blast through the ceiling. Galo gritted his teeth as he ran towards the hole. “Get back here!”

“Galo, it’s probably another trap!” Galo listened to Remi as he eyed up to notice more destroyed ceilings.

“Agreed,” Ignis came back onto the call. “Your suit still isn’t equipped to handle burnish fights.”

“Then let’s make me fight worthy!” With a loud cry, Galo was heading back over for the windows. “Aina! Give me a lift up!”

He could see her jet ascending from higher up. “Are you crazy? There’s a burnish!”

“We were trained to deal with these firebugs! What’s so different now?!”

“They shouldn’t even exist anymore!” Remi answered, then, adding with a curse. “I’m running out of bullets.”

Another rock of the apartment and spewing collateral damage only rose Ignis’ voice. “These apartments won’t withstand much more!”

“Galo!” Burning Rescue’s faces froze as Lio popped up on the screen. “Head to the roof and wait! I’ll meet you up there!”

A chorus of confused voices filtered through the intercom that left it hard to concentrate. But he tried to focus in on Lio, who’s smiling gaze warmed his heart. “And Galo, we’re in this together. You say the sweetest things.”

Simply the voice of his firebug ignited his soul and turned it into an inferno. He stuck his head out of the window and signaled. “Either you give me a lift or I’m breaking my way to the top!”

“Lucia, did you give him an intercom?” Galo merely listened as Aina finally relented and swung low enough that he could hop onto the glass shield. It wasn’t a very heroic position to be in but he grasped on as tightly as he could while Aina rose back up.

Lucia’s tone kept her usual mischievous air. “Don’t get your voice worked up yet.”

The accumulation of dark clouds circulating the top hitched his breath. Just as Aina broke through he leaped off and onto the barren roof. In a moment’s notice, the floor cracked and tore away just as the fake emerged riding atop a geyser of Promare. Back turned, Galo didn’t waste a second aiming his staff. “Mr. Neo Mad Burnish!”

It turned abruptly, almost shocked as the next wave of freeze fire wasn’t missed. It collided into the being’s chest and completely encased it in a massive block of ice. Adrenaline peeked at his victory, charging over and cracking the case at the bottom. He wanted to see for himself who this faker was who’d try to sully Lio’s name.

The block broke clean in two, the armor separating but the figure within was shrouded by a massive burst of steam and soon smoke. “No!”

It combusted in half a second and turned outward, the blaze intensifying like the sun. Galo took a few steps back, arm raised to shield the blinding light. “Dammit!”

Ripping the end of the staff, the spurt of absolute zero water flared as his chainsaw roared to life. Steam seared his face as he stepped towards the inferno, trying to cut his way through as several barrages sliced his outer armor. Chunks rained down as he continued forward, breaking through the stream and slashing his blade upwards.

“Stop it!” The voice wasn’t trying now when panic guided the words. It struck a chord in his mind just as a pair of dainty hands came through the fires and touched over his chest.

His heart stopped.

A surge of electricity burned the fiber of his skin deep down into his veins, pulsing with life. His eyes widened and rolled back, mouth agape and clawing for air, powerless to the lava poured by ten little digits.

They seeped and melted and all connected through his chest, trickling down the arteries. The tiniest drop pushed its way into his heart and his entire world became a kaleidoscope. He felt hotter than the sun, his own innards burning from the inside as his vision was promare. Children’s laughs bounced around in his skull as he heard a harmonious choir to do something. Burn. _Burn._

Thumb trembling, headlight, he used what little strength he could muster to press the only button he could reach. Like snapping jaws, his matoi shut itself as the hands recoiled and the powerful freezing jets replaced the magma.

He gasped for what felt like the first time, mind shocked awake and chest beating too fast stuck in his robot cocoon. He could hear other noises creeping back in… all his comrades being worried, saying something about fire and vaguely saw the fake, still trouncing around as Detroit, break free of his work and sprint.

This felt familiar, this buzz in the back of his skull. Where had he felt that?

Lio’s voice sounded so close as a cold metal object tilted his chin up. The sheer panic in Lio’s eyes he didn’t register, fondly smiling.

“Hey, firebug…” And he was out like a light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> I'm happy to announce that I got to write an exclusive one-shot about Gueira and Meis for the upcoming Firestorm Zine! Love Gueira and Meis and wish they had more attention? This whole book is dedicated to them! And I think you guys will like my piece about two dorks finding a little sum of cash. 
> 
> Preorders are up until May 24th and we're doing a raffle right now to win our biggest bundle! Check out the official Twitter for more info and any support is appreciated! We hope you all enjoy our fruits of labor and you definitely won't be disappointed!
> 
> https://firestormagueimeizine.bigcartel.com/
> 
> https://twitter.com/gueimeizine/status/1256309495271026689


	14. Icy Inferno

Lio wasn’t shocked to hear someone had taken a strike against the burnish apartments. If anything, he was surprised it’d come so late. Either that or a riot the moment they did their opening ceremony. It was always going to be a target; the question was when it’d happen.

Like bees in a hive, the nasty siren songs whispered when he saw the flickers of fire up on the third floor. It was almost sad how pitiful it was, eyeing down to the amount of freeze that plastered the front entrance.

Ignis was waiting for them, leaned up against his work car with arms folded over his waist. His nerves steeled in case of a battle of wits, sliding off the bike first and striding over. He didn’t know if he wanted Galo around when he felt this charged. Here, Galo had someone to report to, people he cared about. It was awkward to say the least to put him in a position between his boss and his boyfriend.

After a solid moment, Ignis finally nudged his head. “Walk with me.”

As they headed in, minding their step on the ice-laden floor, the temperature drop was enough to pull his jacket tighter. Being cold was such an annoyance, it made him feel that much weaker that a little frost could make him shiver.

Lio could hear Ignis’ jacket ruffle and a light shine at the bottom of the wall. “We found this after clearing the first floor.”

Angling it up, his suspicions were confirmed at the messy graffiti staining their new home. Neo Mad Burnish, huh? It didn’t ease his uneasiness or temper like he thought it would by preparing himself for this outcome.

“Sir, Lio didn’t do this!” Lio turned his head abruptly to Galo’s stupid chivalry. “He was with me the entire night!”

“I know,” Ignis thrust a thumb back. “You’re off the clock. Go back to the mobile.”

That was more relieving than Galo butting in. He tried to show him his sympathy with a loose smile yet forgot it when Galo stormed out.

They were left with another staring match as Lio broke the ice. “Did you say that to get Galo to leave?”

“Galo might have his moments but he’s a good judge of character.” He kept his flashlight trained on the wall. “But you are the leader of Mad Burnish.”

“Former leader,” Lio corrected him, pulling tighter on his jacket. He zipped it up without thought. “We disbanded not too long ago.”

Ignis set a hand on his hip. “Apparently your subordinates didn’t like that.”

Lio saw a flash of red. “They are my people. Not my underlings. I let them choose to join Mad Burnish of their own free will.”

Ignis made a slight noise that didn’t quell the rising heat to his cheeks. “I’d like to start off then with an apology.”

His guard was up but the heat simmered down. Ignis turned to him completely, angling his flashlight up. “I apologize on Burning Rescue’s behalf for all the suffering we’ve inadvertently caused your people. Had we known what Kray was doing, I can assure you none of us would have taken part.”

It didn’t bring back Maurice’s arm or the lost lives in the Parnassus, but Lio would have to swallow that bitter pill till he died. “Thank you.”

“But I won’t apologize for stopping any burnish that set fire to the city,” Ignis added with just as much resolve. “You don’t look like a man in his 50’s and I have cases of fires so terrible that lives were lost on both accounts. Mad Burnish was a terrorist group up to the very end. Have you considered that by saying you’re the leader you’re taking responsibility of all 30 years it’s been established since the Great World Blaze?”

Another hard pill to swallow, one Lio didn’t like facing too much. His hands balled into fists. “I have thought of it… and I do take responsibility as the last leader.”

Somehow, he’d thought that would bring a smile to Ignis’ face. But his emotionless expression hadn’t changed, only the intensity of his stare. “I see.”

The pregnant pause made Lio speak up. “Are you going to call me in?”

The flashlight fell and went back to the wall, shrouding Ignis in the dark. “…I only put out fires. And you’ve already proven you are willing to do community service. If Freeze Force hasn’t come to take you away yet, there’s a reason for it.”

Lio couldn’t possibly see anyone with a high enough rank vouching for him. It’d been tickling his thoughts for weeks and decided if Ignis was going to look the other way he shouldn’t be stirring any nests to get a cell right next to Foresight’s.

“Back to the matter at hand.” The light touched the graffiti. “Do you recognize any of this handwriting?”

Staring back up at it, he paid more attention to the small little phrases thrown at the bottom. To say he was disappointed was half-true; he could understand the motivation behind the words. Being swept under the rug didn’t make for happy guests. He already had a few individuals in mind, angling up towards the centerpiece.

This… this looked familiar. A harder stare and a finer combing of his memories led to his eyes widening. Anger was something he always wrestled with to keep in check. Heartache thrown in only made the situation messier.

That _liar_.

Eyes snapped over to Ignis and knew he was trying to pick him apart. With a long inhale, he found his calm in the storm. “No, I don’t recognize it.”

“That true?” Lio nodded, using almost all his energy to keep up his stoic nature. He had no idea the hell he was being put through for his sake. Ignis didn’t look pleased. “These burnish apartments were for your people. Not only will the opening be setback but this will only keep up the fear among Promepolis about the ex-burnish.”

“We didn’t ask for this.” Lio tried to stave his voice. “They’re already treating us like dogs. Why separate us from the rest of the city if they only wanted to shield their eyes from their mistakes?”

“Are you saying the streets are better for young families and children than homeless shelters? None of us could have predicted the outcome of the Parnassus or accounted for the thousands that now occupy our city.”

“The Parnassus—”

“Wasn’t an option to begin with and you know that. That would be putting them in even more danger.” He could feel Ignis’ sheer presence weighing down his shoulders. “Someone has to answer for this.”

“And someone will.” Lio firmly stated. “But as it stands, I don’t recognize this graffiti. I can’t rat out my own kind even if I wanted to.” If he was caged any longer he might lash out, turning his body away. “I will ask around and see what I find. If I have any leads you’ll hear from me.”

He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he walked off. Every single step was another struggle not to sprint.

“You’re part of the city now. You can’t pretend to be above the law anymore and enact vigilante justice. You’re already being given a pass for that stunt you pulled for burning the city.”

Lio’s breath hitched as all his anger blew past his defenses and right up to his head. He spun back on his heels with teeth bared. “That ‘stunt’ was to save thousands of lives that would have perished on top of the entire world! Don’t you dare talk to me about what I can and can’t do! I’ve handled my people before and I will decide what happens to them. Promepolis has clearly shown they don’t care by shoving us into any corner they can forget us in.”

Ignis didn’t back down, the light angled over to Lio. “How can you ask the city to care when you don’t care about the city?”

He’d heard enough crap for one night. With a short huff, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and made to leave. “It’s one of your boys, isn’t it?”

Lio faltered on his next step and kept walking.

His adrenaline spiked as he heard Ignis keep up but the conversation ended there. Out of the building, he went down the stretch of street towards Galo’s waiting entourage of friends. He knew he couldn’t fit in this type of crowd; they were like oil and water. They had their own duties and he had his.

Galo’s dream would just have to stay that.

“Let’s go.” He clearly didn’t stop as he made his way through the cramped space of Burning Rescue to get back to Galo. If they left now he could catch him, this wouldn’t be prolonged beyond this night.

Galo with that unforgiving, misplaced sympathy tried to hold him back. “What did you two talk about?”

But he couldn’t stop, not here. “I said let’s go.”

It was as if the building toppled and slammed right down on his head. The sudden blast, Galo tackling him to the ground. He would have been smoldering in shock had he still the ability to do so, instinctively clawing at Galo’s arms to release him still caked in that panic. It was only after Galo started to sit up that he could see he hadn’t burned him to a crisp, taking a shaky breath and pushing his hands into his face. Galo put up with such a mess.

Fingers parted, he stared up and dropped his hands entirely the moment he saw those flames. From his toes up to every strand of hair, he was glowing in a pin-prickly way like a million acupuncture needles. He hadn’t felt a greater urge to be completely consumed.

One panic attack led to a whole other one far worse. The small ounce of joy couldn’t even be registered amongst the frantic descending of his personal being.

“Burnish…” It flowed like water, so stiff that he felt he’d shatter if Galo let go of him. “The Promare…”

Galo was able to snap out of his daze far quicker, asking how, when they both heard Ignis call to action and now he was all alone. Watching Galo run towards the flames he once took pleasure and calmness from. It almost felt like his own crime.

In a blink of an eye, he was nearly in the lobby, standing on shaking legs when the shattering noise of the cannon launching broke him from his daze. He stumbled back and landed on his ass, transfixed by the way the promare curled as it blazed. Alluring, beckoning him to come back. The voices agreed, they should go back. Go back to what made him whole, what made him Lio Fotia.

All he had to do was walk in and let them in again. Things could go back to the way they were.

“Stop!” He roughly pulled on worn strands of hair till the pain dulled the voices. He had enough of this; pushing back onto his feet and starting at a sprint. He didn’t waste another second as he dashed as fast as his legs would carry him, scrambling up the side and through the entrance of the mobile.

He almost barreled over the mainframe as he grasped the edge and jerked. “What can I do to help?!”

“Lio?” He eyed Galo’s bright red pants as his capsule closed.

Lucia curled her chair towards him. “Took you long enough. I never thought we’d come to this point, but isn’t life funny that way.”

Lio had no clue what she meant until she motioned back. “There’s a spare closet at the end with clothes.”

He didn’t need any other directions. Navigating through the darkened mobile was a task in itself as he couldn’t help but eavesdrop whenever someone used the intercom. His heart couldn’t stop racing at all the potential theories.

With his date clothes shoved into the back of the locker, he strode back over in those iconic baggie pants. He stride was a little wider, tugging on the borrowed blazing red jacket and zipping it up to hide the black shirt underneath. The boots even fit snuggly, suspicions rising that Galo just-so-happened to leave a spare uniform just his size.

Lucia didn’t bat an eye as he placed one hand above her chair and watched the different screens of each member. While Remi and Varys were certainly up to their eyeballs in flames, he gravitated towards Galo’s screen.

“They’re nearby…” Lucia murmured under her breath as they watched her drone’s light scan in front of Galo. Lio spotted the person just as Galo had, but something felt too coincidental.

“Hold it.” He leaned in closer and squinted, recognizing the trick. “That’s a decoy.”

“What?” Lucia looked up as Lio looked her dead in the eye.

“It’s an ambush!”

Lucia pressed down on one of the hundreds of buttons that Lio made note of. “Galo, wait! It’s a trap!”

But they both heard the blast of concrete and Galo’s vision with burnish serpents. Lio cussed under his breath and sharply turned just as the end of his jacket was yanked. “You going to run in there and save him?! You wouldn’t even make it to the stairs!”

Lucia was on her knees, swatting his forehead with a flick of her fingers. “Don’t underestimate us! We were trained for this!”

It hardly stung underneath the searing loss of pride as Lucia plopped down. “Galo’s down on the seventh floor!”

The immediate response from his team was almost impressive, watching Remi and Varys’ screens immediately start seeking windows. They were running like clockwork, eyeing back up to Galo’s screen the moment he heard his name.

Words could not describe the mute anger he felt upon seeing Detroit.

Vinny scurried back over to Lucia the moment he banged down on the dashboard. “Who do they think they are?!”

“Sheesh, you and Galo are both trouble.” She said so with such a sarcastic tone, but all her attention was on Galo’s screen. “This isn’t good at all…”

He couldn’t stare at it for a second longer. Snatching the armrests, he swiveled Lucia to stare at him. “I need you to put me in there!”

Her knees were pulled up as Vinny jumped into her lap, waving his arms back and forth with vigorous shaking of his head. “And why should I? You think you can do anything?”

“I can’t just sit here and do nothing!”

“So you don’t think our team is capable enough?” She quirked an eyebrow. “I’m finding it hard to see what Galo saw in you. Brash, disobedient, stubborn. You really do just cause trouble wherever you go.”

He had to bite his tongue at all of Lucia’s cutting comments. He hung his head, gripping the armrests as he tried to keep at bay and not prove her right by running in to his death. “I’m not… used to all this. I’ve always had to lead… I always did what I needed to…”

“And that might have worked out in the desert, but Burning Rescue is a team effort.” Lucia knocked his chin up with her knee. For someone so young-looking he could sense the years of hard effort and earned respect. “If you want to do something and help us, you have to go by our orders. Ignis isn’t stupid. I’m not stupid. Remi isn’t. Varys isn’t. Aina isn’t. Galo… no, I won’t even joke. He’s not stupid either. Becoming apart of the FDPP is an honor and a badge few ever hold and its got the highest fatality rates of any job, so you know we’re capable if we’re still alive.”

Her eyes flickered to the screen and back to him but Lio wasn’t given that choice as she nudged his head further up. Lio stood as Lucia crossed her arms. “So I’m going to ask and be honest because I’ll know if you’re lying. Can you be a team player?”

The answer should have been simple. But all Lio felt was every instance the fires had tempted him. He hung his head slightly as all the fight was drowned in shame. “I’ve been hearing voices every time I see fire. And sometimes I’ve blacked out. I want to be a team player; I want to save lives.”

Lucia settled into her chair. “I thought so. You’re suffering some sort of withdrawal aren’t you?” He nodded. “How bad?”

“Bad.”

Vinny was caught staring between the two and making a noise almost akin to his name before lying down in Lucia’s lap. Lio felt the sting of his decision, shifting uncomfortably. Then, Lucia tugged at her goggles and smiled. “You’ve got a good heart, just like that other idiot.”

Goggles down over her face, she scooped up Vinny. “Alright you two, I’m counting on you to work together! Vinny, give him the ol’ nibble if he steps out of line.”

With the tiniest salute given by a rodent ever, Lio was left scrambling to catch Vinny when he was underhand thrown his way. The rat caught his jacket and scrambled up onto his shoulder, patting his neck with several squeaks. “Lio! Get moving and buckle in. You’re going to be the first to test out our latest toy.”

It was jarring what’d just happened, but he wouldn’t look a gifted horse straight in the mouth. “You’re going to the roof. Wanna let Galo know?”

Lucia eyed back with a teasing gaze. His finger flew and pressed down on the intercom. “Galo! Head to the roof and wait! I’ll meet you up there!” His heart swelled when Galo eyed the screen and he caught his eye. “And Galo, we’re in this together. You say the sweetest things.” It felt more like reassurance for himself, knowing he’d been given a gifted opportunity.

“Atta boy,” Lucia waved him off and down the stretch he ran to the brightening lights for the last capsule.

Vinny jostled as he strapped himself in to the harmonious confusion of the team. “Lucia, what are you planning?”

The capsule jolted when it was snatched, doors closing as Lucia laid back with arms crossed over her head. “Just got another toy idea, Captain.”

The capsule closed as Lio was plunged into the dark, holding the sides as they jerked and swung into a tight angle that almost had him banging his forehead into the wall.

“Lio? Can you hear me?” Lucia asked and didn’t let him answer. “Your suit is made different than the rest; a subclass of Remi’s. It’ll be enough to take down that fake but I’ll need you to follow my orders to properly utilize it. We don’t have any time for a practice run.”

“Got it,” A thrum hummed in his bones and teeth as the lights started to dim. That first peek out into the world as his capsule was loaded into the launcher hardened his resolve. Once, he would smile upon this work at a job well done. Now, he’d do everything to smother it out.

“Lio,” His breath hitched at Ignis’ voice. “I don’t doubt your abilities. Show us what the ex-leader of the Mad Burnish can do.”

His acceptance left a marble in his throat, unknowing till then how he wanted to hear that. “Yes, Captain!”

“Launching!”

“Guys! Galo’s—!” But Lio didn’t hear the rest from the deafening clank and release of his capsule shooting straight into the air. He could feel all of Vinny’s tiny claws stuck in his shoulder as he clenched his teeth to not bite his tongue.

This was almost more intense than when Galo sucker-punched him out of the sky, harboring that rage but keeping it in arm’s reach. He had to be rational from here on out.

Soaring high in the sky, a sudden hiss and blast of the outer walls made him gasp, almost fighting the machine as the parts snapped and formed around his limbs. He could hardly see anything through the smoke rising but heard Lucia crisply. “Unless you wanna fall back in the cannon fall forward! Move your legs, the suit will follow!”

Vinny’s squeaks were too high-pitched as he felt the rat tug on his locks. Just as inertia caught up he heavily leaned into his armor, feeling it arch. Down he went towards the roof, the wind and smoke pushing against his face. “Pull back! Land on your feet! They’re built to take the hit!”

It was harder to pull up against gravity, but he managed to get the robot to comply, smashing against the ground feet first. The wheels underneath spun as he rolled forward, arms held up and out. “Wh-whoa!”

“Settle down, it’ll take a lot to get it to fall.” Vinny’s reassurance alongside Lucia’s wasn’t too reassuring. He got his bearings just as he rose up and saw Galo’s glorious matoi.

The armor was reforming over the shrouded figure but their fingers were still plastered on Galo’s chest. Bathed in chaos, the raging promare was burning him alive. His voice caught in his throat as panic took over, screeching. “ _Galo_!”

The snap of his suit and expulsion of coolant didn’t calm his nerves. His knee jerked up and the suit complied, dashing over on newborn legs just as the offender ran off. He slid and hit his knee going down. “Galo, _Galo_!”

He held his chin and reached out with his gloved fingers, soon taking them off to feel his skin. What should have been a ravaged face destroyed by fire was pristine and untouched, unable to see any burn marks. His skin was hotter to the touch, touching his own cheeks to feel how wet they were.

“Lio!” He spooked at Aina’s voice. “Is Galo okay?”

He could hear the tremble in her voice as he nodded his head, clearing his throat and wiping away the sudden tears. “He…looks fine.”

The symphony of relief from the rest put some of his nerves at ease. It felt like they were all beside him giving Galo the biggest hug they could.

Then, Galo raised his own head. He had to bite down on his lower lip to not start crying. “You’re going to be okay.”

His smile was almost drunk, gaze so warm and loving. “Hey, firebug…” Till he felt his head slump on his robotic hand.

Before he could even think in that morbid direction Lucia’s voice came through the intercom. “He’s fine, just passed out. The suit can read his heartbeat.”

That settled the rest of his nerves, deeply inhaling as he rose back up. His beloved Detroit, now ruined, stood at a standstill on the other side of the roof. It all hit him at once, feeling something akin to the insurmountable fury back at Mount Fennel.

The suit felt like moved on its own, speeding towards the attacker as he threw back his fist. “ ** _Ardebit_**!!”

The screen suddenly lit up as Aina took front and center. “What?!”

Magenta flames covered the visor as Aina signed off in time for Lio to see he was on course for a barrage of promare. He gritted his teeth, almost scoffing. “Come at me.”

But as he accelerated he suddenly felt a sharp stab on his neck, veering him off course. The dry and ripping heat slapped across his face at the narrow dodge.

“Idiot!” Lucia came back on screen as Vinny sent goosebumps down his arms while he crawled out of his shirt. “Your suit isn’t burnish-proof from a direct attack! Are you trying to die?!”

“Clearly he’s not ready to handle this.” Remi joined in.

Lio swallowed a hard lump in his throat. “You put out burnish fires, but _I_ know how to fight burnish. So get up here and put them out!”

His chance turned favorable at Remi smirking. “Fine. We’re almost up, Varys should be there soon.”

As the screens flickered off his heart skipped a beat at his disgraced suit begin to soar upwards from the roof. “She’s escaping!”

“No, they’re not,” Lucia’s voice was right in his ear. “You’ll feel some buttons and levers in your arms. Push the biggest button.”

At the prompting, the hands on his suit disassembled and pulled inward for the jutting silver barrels that replaced them. It almost captured his whole interest, feeling like a young boy again staring into the windowpanes on his walks home from school. He angled them straight up at the fleeing burnish as Lucia yelled. “Fire!”

The jolt of icy wind and spray had his head turning away, body jerking and spraying the bullets in an arch. “Look where you’re shooting!”

He cracked his eyes back open as he tried to arch the stream back; the weight of the suit suddenly baring down on his arms all at once. He gritted his teeth and forced them left and straight into the evading Detroit, feeling the impact disturb the air. It squared into their back and managed to freeze over one solid leg, causing the rest to flail and slam back into the ground. “Not bad; it was like a drunk spider catching a drunk fly.”

He’d take it as a compliment as he switched back to his hands, increasing speed and closing the distance between the two. The armored burnish turned in time to release a pillar of promare and Lio heard the screams in his ears right as he narrowly dodged the wave. Had he still his promare this wouldn’t even have been a fight; beginning to curse how clunky and slow he felt with every step.

He had some newfound respect for Galo being able to maneuver his mech so smoothly and was almost a little glad he wasn’t around to watch this. “Isn’t there anything I can fight them with?!”

Sparks skidding, he sharply turned, pivoting around the armor and switching back to the rapid-fire ice bullets. The armor sliced their hand through the air and the shield followed as they created a wall of steam between them. He only expanded his radius once he felt the fires push outward, tunneling up like a tidal wave and crashing far beyond him and creating a fiery inferno of a cage.

Lio had taken for granted not being able to sweat as a burnish; now having a rougher time seeing through his sticking bangs. Detroit stood tall at the epicenter of the ring, hands splayed up with all ten fingers beckoning him.

Lio nearly took the offer, spitting through his teeth. “You merged with the promare just as it was leaving. You stole it from going home!”

“I did no such thing,” The foolish imitation spoke. It had stopped trying to mock his voice, at the very least, but it was still failing miserably to mask its own. “The promare never wanted to leave. You, of all people, should understand how they felt and what they wanted.”

“The combustion had to be completed!”

“I agree,” Its hands melded with the walls as the walls behind jutted forward. All he could do was surge forward as Detroit threw its arm back, arching the ceiling right down atop of his head. “But it was the wrong one!”

Frantic was his mind that he saw only one way out, finally completing that built-up longing and connected his fist straight into the side of the armored form. “Stop talking nonsense!”

The room broke when Detroit crashed through the wall and rolled off to the side. The scorching air ceased, finally able to breathe through worn lungs as he could feel Vinny shaking on his shoulder.

Not soon after Varys climbed atop the roof, followed by Remi in hot pursuit. “On the scene! Where’s the burnish?”

“I think Lio decked them unconscious.”

Lio ignored Lucia’s commentary, more focused on taking cautious steps towards the fallen armor. What was left of the helmet turned to ashes on the roof, short pink hair waving in the wind. What little part of him had wanted it to be anyone else was silenced then, a grim frown stuck on his face.

“Is that…?” Remi was the one to speak up as Lio didn’t realize how close the others had gotten. He kicked his foot forward, rolling the figure onto their side. Heris’ cheek would surely bruise, yet her glasses miraculously survived the giant metal fist.

“I just got Galo down to the ground,” Aina came on all the speakers, her screen colored red. “So? Did you get them?”

“Uuhhh…” Varys droned, staring at Heris as if someone had cut her open like a confectionary. “What… am I even looking at?”

“Pick up this trash.” Lio coldly stated.

The armor was fading away when Varys gently scooped her into his hand, Remi moving closer to inspect her features. Both were eyeing him for some type of answer, an expression he was growing far too sick of. “This is her problem, her consequences. She can rot in a cell in freeze force custody for all I care.”

“You’re not going to help?” Remi’s stance came off as a challenge and he had to bite back the urge to swing his fist again.

“I did my job. My work is done.” He should have never gotten into this silly suit. Vinny scrambled as he found the eject button, ventilators hissing as he dropped out and stormed off.

The discord in his mind was wild and uncontrollable, the voices singing and grating against his ears amongst the sharp questions that cut deep into his heart. He was itching for a fight, itching to vomit, itching for _something,_ and what he couldn’t admit.

Screams pulled him out of his head, swiveling on his feet back to Varys and Remi. The blaze capturing them burned into his skull, faces in absolute pain, the whites of their eyes hiding their pupils. He could just hear the whispers of the promare’s cry as Heris dropped to her feet and the two most prominent veterans collapsed inside their mechs.

Rage that burned as hot as the promare made Heris’ face ugly. “We’re far from done.”


End file.
